Quote:
Originally Posted by FanIn80
Man, you guys.
You're right. You're absolutely right. Why would you want to lock up your young superstars? That's just silly, when you can let them walk for nothing. Another option instead of locking them up, is to wait for them to want to leave and then trade them for players that are good elsewhere, and then lock those players up before you know if they're also good here. All wayyyy better options than just simply committing to the young superstars you're fortunate enough to draft.
Also, it's been mentioned countless times already that Johnny is cheaper and his contract is over two full seasons before Huberdeau's is. He's also more entertaining to watch and has prior-established chemistry with some of our players. Flipping Huberdeau for Gaudreau is like flipping a 10.5M-with-7-years-left pylon for a 9.75M-with-5-years-left guy who at least plays hockey.
(not to mention Johnny's obviously unhappy playing for CBJ, and that has a pretty bing impact on performance)
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Gaudreau was not a "superstar" at the time of the discussions (2021 offseason). He was a good winger who had scored at a 70 point rate for two seasons in a row. And you probably couldn't have locked up both Tkachuk and Gaudreau long term at the time, even if you turfed Frolik. Not at the amounts they wanted. So Treliving made an offer to Gaudreau that was supposedly "embarrassing" (I suspect between $7.5-8) and signed Tkachuk to a guaranteed 4 year term (3 years at the highest pay of any Flame plus a pricey 4th year with a $9M QO and the resulting arbitration).
So the timing would have been - sign Tkachuk for 6 years at, say, $9M in 2019 (and trade Frolik's last season to dump salary - you'd maybe net 3M after replacing him with a lower salary guy). You still couldn't afford Gaudreau's $8.5-9M ask. But if you do, and he turns out another 70 poin t season, you are kinda screwed.