[Royle9]

Ahh yes, Good ol Rich selling the Flames brass on the idea of Gio coming into mentor the kids and then accept a trade to a contender with potentially returning for a front office job.

Craig gives the “yes thanks but we’re going in a different direction” which results in Rich giving CGY the gears and then bashing how bad the management of the teams been with high ranking players and how bad the morale of the team is.

Talk about horrible asset management followed by temper tantrum rants on the radio.
This all but confirms Gio won’t return in any capacity, hopefully big Rich hasn’t spoiled any relationship for Gio.

Also from what I’ve heard, players are actually happier in the room now and the respect for Backlund is higher than it’s ever been the last few years.

I get a sense that Gio wasn’t the “great captain” Rich is trying to sell, the culture in that room had been bad for a long time and it wasn’t until Backlund started leading the room the last few years that it turned around for the better.