[cam_calderon]

Francis interview with Ras

On Boston:

The emotional wall he hit came mid‑January when an apparent deal, complete with the framework for what Elliotte Friedman reported was a seven-year extension worth $63 million in Boston, muddied his mind during a Flames road trip through Chicago.

“The offer came in with a few parts adjusted I didn’t like with trade protection, and then there was another three days of hearing nothing,” said Andersson, who then suited up against the Islanders for what he, and many others, assumed was his final home game as a Flame, as he high-fived every teammate and saluted the crowd afterwards.

“It was a mental grind for me for three days. You keep checking your phone, and wondering when it’s going to happen, and then I woke up Sunday and I was like, ‘I can’t do this anymore, I have to focus on myself and not everything around me.’ I was still pretty proud of the way I played those two games, but on Sunday (Jan. 18) we told them, ‘let’s hold off on all extension talks right now.’”

So provides some context to why he ultimately decided to pull the plug on a sign and trade. I still find it odd that Boston went so cold after offering that much money.