[Signing] Gaudreau to Columbus (7 x $9.75 million)

[calgaryred]

I wouldn't want a player who's goal isn't to win the Stanley Cup

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

if you don't want to win why are you playing ?

I suppose there has to be the odd skilled player that became disenchanted with the game but just enjoyed nhl sized paychecks until their time was up

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

"NHL Player" is still a job. Maybe some players don't actually want to win the cup.

Imagine if your job came to you and was like "Hey, so we're actually going to need you to work several months of overtime while the other half of the company is on holiday. Oh yeah, the work will be harder and the days will be often longer. What's that, will you get paid more? Ha, good one, but we do have a shiny trophy for whoever works the most and does the best!"

I don't think you'd be thrilled.

Come on now, professional athletes are different...especially hockey players. Most of them anyway.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

I wouldn't want a player who's goal isn't to win the Stanley Cup

McDavid shaking right now.

[nik-]

Every player wants to win, some just don't prioritize it. Same with organizations.

[SuperMatt18]

I still think that Covid is probably what ended up moving the needle with both Tkachuk and Gaudreau (and Sutter's comments about Tkachuk on the weekend kind of confirmed it)

I've said it before but the lockdowns and no cross border travel were tough on a lot of people. And right after that situation both of these guys had the unique opportunity of picking where they get to play, while that was heavy on their mind.

Especially with Gaudreau and having a baby on the way I could see why that might end up weighing on your mind about not wanting to get stuck locked down here, not being able to see family, etc.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

if you don't want to win why are you playing ?

Because it is fun and the pay is fantastic?

But seriously, there is a world of difference between "not wanting to win," and "being totally fine with not winning."


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[Locke]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

I wouldn't want a player who's goal isn't to win the Stanley Cup

Pft...they all want to win the Stanley Cup, its just a matter of badly they want to win it!

I have always said my dream job is to essentially 'Chris Osgood' it, to win a few Cups, make a few Million for opening the gate to the bench.

Backup goalie on an elite team. Thats the dream!

[GullFoss]

Who was the last star player you know that didn't want to win? Rick Nash? Alexei Yashin? Few and far between.

Columbus is a mediocre city with a bad hockey team. I could see Johnny requesting a trade within a few years. Marriage isn't all it's cracked up to be and eventually the rose colored glasses will wear off. He'll realize that committing to marriage doesn't mean sacrificing your dreams and he can't achieve those dreams in columbus. Johnny is a competitive guy. Within a years, he's going to realize he's made a collosal mistake.

On the plus side, so much of his game is vision and cerebral playmaking. He's going to age really well.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Locke

Pft...they all want to win the Stanley Cup, its just a matter of badly they want to win it!

I have always said my dream job is to essentially 'Chris Osgood' it, to win a few Cups, make a few Million for opening the gate to the bench.

Backup goalie on an elite team. Thats the dream!

Not to mention, once you've signed it's guaranteed.

Being a professional golfer, on the other hand, while they get slagged for it not being a physical sport, sounds brutal. A true meritocracy to get paid, and continue to be paid. No thanks - I want that fat paycheque based on past performance and reputation from my early 20's, thank you very much.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by calf

Not to mention, once you've signed it's guaranteed.

Being a professional golfer, on the other hand, while they get slagged for it not being a physical sport, sounds brutal. A true meritocracy to get paid, and continue to be paid. No thanks - I want that fat paycheque based on past performance and reputation from my early 20's, thank you very much.

Damned straight! Thats the stuff!

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Because it is fun and the pay is fantastic?

But seriously, there is a world of difference between "not wanting to win," and "being totally fine with not winning."


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seven figures would lend itself to an easy going attitude about losing I am sure

you won't win championships unless you have stars with a higher gaf meter than most when it comes to winning though .. which includes playing hard at both ends of the ice

I'm glad the flames made that part of their mandate with acquisitions and drafting .. although I'm not completely sure about the desire level of this new look core to win , I guess we'll learn that at the end of the year

[Aarongavey]

Tough year for the Blue Jackets, losing their number one dman for the season and their top line RW for 10 games. Kinda surprised they have 15 points with those injuries, most legitimate Stanley Cup contenders have at least 21 points so far this year, if you are not at that level your organization is probably not serious about winning the Cup this season.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Tough year for the Blue Jackets, losing their number one dman for the season and their top line RW for 10 games. Kinda surprised they have 15 points with those injuries, most legitimate Stanley Cup contenders have at least 21 points so far this year, if you are not at that level your organization is probably not serious about winning the Cup this season.

why 21 points lol

why not 20 .. or 22

you realize how many past cup winners historically had slow starts to their winning seasons right

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

why 21 points lol

why not 20 .. or 22

Because the Flames have 18 and even if they win today will only have 20.

So his passive-aggressive dig is safe.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

why 21 points lol

why not 20 .. or 22

you realize how many past cup winners historically had slow starts to their winning seasons right

I think statistically the better starting teams win more cups

[STAMPEDRED]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Who was the last star player you know that didn't want to win? Rick Nash? Alexei Yashin? Few and far between.

Columbus is a mediocre city with a bad hockey team. I could see Johnny requesting a trade within a few years. Marriage isn't all it's cracked up to be and eventually the rose colored glasses will wear off. He'll realize that committing to marriage doesn't mean sacrificing your dreams and he can't achieve those dreams in columbus. Johnny is a competitive guy. Within a years, he's going to realize he's made a collosal mistake.

On the plus side, so much of his game is vision and cerebral playmaking. He's going to age really well.

What a stupid post. Marriage is fantastic. Learn to see beyond the mirror and you’ll open yourself to a world of life. Your comment and slagging of marriage in regards to the Johnny and his wife is baseless. You don’t know him, nor his wife, nor their child. Just because your still butt-hurt that he chose his new place of employment and not ‘you’ shows everything that is wrong with you. He fulfilled his contract with the flames.

Honestly, grow up.

[powderjunkie]

The silly thing about most of these arguments is that re-signing in Calgary would have been similarly resigning himself to very very low odds of winning the Cup. That is probably true anywhere a high profile UFA looking for a full value (no discount) deal ends up signing.

[timun]

Originally Posted by Locke

Pft...they all want to win the Stanley Cup, its just a matter of badly they want to win it!

I have always said my dream job is to essentially 'Chris Osgood' it, to win a few Cups, make a few Million for opening the gate to the bench.

Backup goalie on an elite team. Thats the dream!

Amusingly, sadly, people forget that Osgood was the starter in 2/3 Stanley Cups he won. (Vernon started in '97, Osgood started in '98, and Hasek was benched early in the '08 playoffs.)

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Icantwhisper

I think statistically the better starting teams win more cups

I think Tampa started slow in both their recent cup years . so it goes to show that a slow start doesn't eliminate a team from contending

you can also throw Darryls kings teams in there . pretty sure the '12 team was teetering on a lost season when he came in

I think in the last decade there might be as many slow starting cup winners as those that stormed out of the gate