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

[Locke]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Still unclear on how the NJ negotiation fell apart.

Was it really just the denial of an NTC? Or was it again a wife veto.

That had to be preffered to Columbus for him personally.

Honestly, I'd have thought that the NJD was the team that made the most sense out of all of them.

He really botched this bad and he's in good company because so did the Flyers.

If he was absolutely adamant about going to Philly, the Flyers are being handed one of the most desirable Free Agents around on a silver platter.

What really should have happened, and I've mentioned this a few times, was the oft-scorned sign-and-trade in the rare instance where it actually makes a bit of sense.

Win/Win/Win for everyone.

Decide a year ago to go to Philly, sign an 8-year deal with Calgary who would agree to trade him to Philly for some picks or whatever.

Gives Philly time to clear some cap, Calgary gets some assets, Johnny gets his wish and Philly gets a 100 point winger.

And all it would have taken was a little cooperation.

[Otto-matic]

It’s weird that zero flames actually wrote out a post about Johnny leaving? Outside of a Backs reposting the flames image with no caption.

[CliffFletcher]

Nvm

[BigJim]

Originally Posted by fleury

I dunno man. I’m personally surmising someone up there pissed Gaudreau off. I don’t know whether it’s justified or not but I’m starting to come around to say Johnny wouldn’t be annoyed at the organization unless something happened behind the scenes. It’s such an odd situation that I find it hard to give Treliving or Edwards the pass.

If Edwards went off on him the way it's rumoured to have happened, I suspect that left Johnny a little shaken. Probably never had someone do that.

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

It’s weird that zero flames actually wrote out a post about Johnny leaving? Outside of a Backs reposting the flames image with no caption.

If Flames brass thought he was being honest, you can bet many of teammates thought so too. He screwed them over as much as the owners and BT. Backlund is probably classier than most for at least resharing the Flames work.

But the silence really speaks louder than words.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by fleury

Again, the issue hasn’t been that Johnny walked away from the flames. It’s that he apparently negotiated in bad faith where they apparently met his price which he negotiated and he still walked away. If his intent was to go to the States, very few would be complaining. But why negotiate, lead the team on and then when you get what you want you walk away? To me he soured on management or ownership. The question is really what caused that and was it justified. Someone must have #### in his cheerios for things to go this way. Given his comments on wanting to move to anywhere but Calgary I’m inclined to think he had it in for someone. Again no idea why (that aspect we’ll probably never find out).

He lost an 8th year doing all that.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Still unclear on how the NJ negotiation fell apart.

Was it really just the denial of an NTC? Or was it again a wife veto.

That had to be preffered to Columbus for him personally.

I suspect it boiled down to the Devils not suspecting Gaudreau would ever hit the market, so they aligned their assets elsewhere. They had a plan, and it did not include Gaudreau, because no one expected him to hit the market. All of a sudden they had to shift in a way they did not expect and they didn't have the funds available. It is why Gaudreau had to look elsewhere.

This has his wife's fingerprints on it and why he reacted the way he did. Calgary was last on the list because he didn't want the pressure or because his wife had zero interest in Calgary. I understand that aspect and the outcomes. The spouse drives your decisions more than anything, even if years later you rue those decisions. Sometimes you make decisions that appease your wife even if they are really bad decisions at the time.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

It’s weird that zero flames actually wrote out a post about Johnny leaving? Outside of a Backs reposting the flames image with no caption.

Honest question: does that ever happen? Like are there examples of this in hockey?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Somehow I come out of this with more respect for Treliving, despite the fact that this outcome could have been prevented by much earlier decisive action (although that's easy for us to say now in hindsight).

Brad is truly invested in this team and was in getting Johnny back, and he was done dirty by Gaudreau's camp and yet he still had the emotional fortitude to step up to the podium immediately afterward and wish Johnny and his wife well.

Just what a consummate professional.

Much as I don’t want Brad running the hockey team, I do think he’s a fundamentally good man.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by fleury

I dunno man. I’m personally surmising someone up there pissed Gaudreau off. I don’t know whether it’s justified or not but I’m starting to come around to say Johnny wouldn’t be annoyed at the organization unless something happened behind the scenes. It’s such an odd situation that I find it hard to give Treliving or Edwards the pass.

Maybe. But if they announced they were walking after the Flames met their ask, then whatever Edwards said was probably justified in the end, even if it wasn't a necessary send-off memo.

It's just not how you do business, in any field or profession, and he would be right for pointing that out.

But nevertheless, it is still JG's right.

I guess I have more respect for him as a person, but yeah I'm not elated with his asset management here. And yet I can't judge him because Johnny made the situation very muddled and unclear and we all thought there was a good shot too.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

It’s weird that zero flames actually wrote out a post about Johnny leaving? Outside of a Backs reposting the flames image with no caption.

Not really - they probably thought it was just as stupid as we did.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Much as I don’t want Brad running the hockey team, I do think he’s a fundamentally good man.

I’m skeptical personally. GM’s are there to build teams through tough negotiating and producing results. I’m sure most push feeling aside to get the job done as it probably hinders results to be ethical in how you approach players or other GM’s through effective transparency. It really comes down to winning - winning negotiations, winning trades, winning games. Having said that, with these so called high performers how many of them are hired with the ethical approach as part of the hiring process? I’d say most teams are not talking about how you approach good people and build around that. Owners are probably more interested in results and bottom line dollars. I don’t have a strong opinion of the man himself but given his role and who his dad is, he’s probably a tough negotiator and not necessarily a fair one. He has to win and that’s more in line with an A type, and those tend to be harder to get through to emotionally in my experience.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

It’s weird that zero flames actually wrote out a post about Johnny leaving? Outside of a Backs reposting the flames image with no caption.

The fan base is mad Salty right now. Players probably laying low on any of that because the comments would be toxic

[PuckDemon]

Treliving seemed to have a real soft spot for Johnny. He never forced a hard deadline on him, and he even swallowed his pride to offer Johnny a last-ditch 7-year deal on Wednesday apparently.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Friedman on the most recent 32 thoughts says the Gaudreau market was only Columbus, Calgary, and New Jersey

Philly and Islanders were never in it

He also says players have told him covid is playing into their decisions of where to play, especially if families have to cross a border.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by PuckDemon

Treliving seemed to have a real soft spot for Johnny. He never forced a hard deadline on him, and he even swallowed his pride to offer Johnny a last-ditch 7-year deal on Wednesday apparently.

Probably because Brad thought he was a good person whom he had developed a long time relationship with that would return that good faith when it came time.

He did not.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

I suspect it boiled down to the Devils not suspecting Gaudreau would ever hit the market, so they aligned their assets elsewhere. They had a plan, and it did not include Gaudreau, because no one expected him to hit the market. All of a sudden they had to shift in a way they did not expect and they didn't have the funds available. It is why Gaudreau had to look elsewhere.

That makes sense for the Flyers...not so much for the Devils.

Devils had a ton of space, still have a ton of space, and went and gave another LW in Palat a 5 x $6M contract once they learned they were out on Gaudreau.

IIRC their GM actually said he thought they were close during their press conference.

[Azure]

I hope they have a 5 min thank you video, and the fans boo the entire time. Would be very fitting.

[Hockey_Ninja]

I usually take anecdotes with a grain of salt. But here’s one from a guy I know who’s in a private hockey group I’ve been in for years on Facebook:

A couple of days ago two scouts for the Flames were having a bite to eat at my place of work and they said that Covid restrictions and not having a newer arena with all the perks makes a huge difference on how free agents view coming to Calgary. I then brought up Coleman and they said that the had to overpay by a lot to get him. Also with the arena the one scout said that a lot of the players in today’s game come with certain expectations on how they expect to be treated and not having a newer world class facility actually makes a huge difference. Asked about Chucky and the one scout said that he thinks he’s as good as gone

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I'll take lighting up the jackets and a solid Zadorov hit or two over the crowd being vocal.

We should echo his behaviour. Don't even address him, just like he didn't address Calgary and the fans.

Ummm ok, but i don't think there are that many Jacket jerseys in Calgary to burn. Maybe a couple of Nash, maybe 1 Dubinsky and a 2 Dubois's?