The team has levers it can pull as well. For example, the Flames consider trading him to a destination he would never re-sign and force him to move twice in 12 months. It also risks him having to move before the season start, feel unsettled for an entire year, make it difficult to build relationships with players on new team, which risks him having a poor season and then having less suitors in UFA.
A threat like that - leaked through the media - gets the player to compromise because it's a scenario that's a lot less palatable than having to play his last season in Calgary and then get traded at the deadline.
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