Quote:
Originally Posted by TOfan
I think you also need to consider what the perception of the organization is with the players. If the Flames were to strong arm Kadri into accepting a trade against his wishes, there would be collateral damage there.
Rightly or wrongly (rightly, I think) the Flames have demonstrated a player friendly environment recently, perhaps towards the upper end of the league. The way they handled Kylington’s situation, picking Frost and Farabee up in a PJ, moms/dads trips, support for the Gaudreau family. I think this stuff matters to players. Certainly, most teams do some of these things but I think the Flames have done more than most. There’s a reason why Backlund extended despite knowing his chances of winning are limited here. There’s also a reason why Coleman, Kadri, Huberdeau, and Andersson aren’t looking to move on (as best we know).
Ultimately, this is a good thing and, I bet, pays dividends down the road at some point.
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So Calgary remains the nice cozy retirement spot where players like to cash a check rather than actually chase a cup? You didn't need to strong arm Kadri or anyone. Of course you treat people with respect. But the goal is winning a Cup and you're running a competitive sports franchise not a country club.
Imagine we handed out more money to Kadri than any other team in the league, treated him well while he played here, then ASKED him if he would be open to a trade to a contender because the organization was year 2 into a rebuild.