Matthew Tkachuk & Johnny Gaudreau Signing Watch Thread

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

But, one is already dead when the final nail is hammered into the coffin.

Sent from my SM-G986W using Tapatalk

Kill Bill 2 says maybe not.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by activeStick

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned much which is going to be a massive factor is he'll be deciding between going back to a 111 point, division winner or moving on to terrible 61/63 point teams that are 4 or 5 years away. Ain't nobody got time for that, especially not Johnny. He'll be eager to get back at it with the Flames, a top team in the league to make more runs at it in those same 4-5 years.

I think people are looking at New Jersey and Philly far too pessimistically.

Philly played pretty much their entire season without their #1 centre, and their #2 defenceman. What would have happened to the Flames season if they lacked Gaudreau but then also lost Lindholm and one of Andersson or Tanev for the entire season...it'd be disastrous.

New Jersey also lost their #1 centre for most of the year, and had no goalie (which they'll try to fix this summer). They've also got two big players coming in that haven't arrived yet in Hughes and Holtz - oh and probably Cooley or Slafkovsky this summer.

If I was Johnny, I'd choose to play with the New Jersey roster for the next 7 years sooner than the Flames roster.

[Poe969]

Esperanto if NJD can get a goalie. And the whole 8 years being the most important thing...if he signs a 7 year deal with a team, he cam still sign another contract after that one. Overall he might make a few million less but he gets to go where he wants. The 8th year benefits the team more than the player imo.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Esperanto if NJD can get a goalie. And the whole 8 years being the most important thing...if he signs a 7 year deal with a team, he cam still sign another contract after that one. Overall he might make a few million less but he gets to go where he wants. The 8th year benefits the team more than the player imo.

Injuries happen. Careers decline. He will be 35. Sure there are players who sign after that. But lots aren’t even playing. There’s less than 20 in the whole NHL.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I think people are looking at New Jersey and Philly far too pessimistically.

Philly played pretty much their entire season without their #1 centre, and their #2 defenceman. What would have happened to the Flames season if they lacked Gaudreau but then also lost Lindholm and one of Andersson or Tanev for the entire season...it'd be disastrous.

New Jersey also lost their #1 centre for most of the year, and had no goalie (which they'll try to fix this summer). They've also got two big players coming in that haven't arrived yet in Hughes and Holtz - oh and probably Cooley or Slafkovsky this summer.

If I was Johnny, I'd choose to play with the New Jersey roster for the next 7 years sooner than the Flames roster.

Jersey has definitely accumulated a lot of young talent. If some of their guys pan out they could get good fast. Hischier and Hughes are both starting to break out. Luke Hughes and Alexander Holtz on the way. Bratt and Mercer look good. The 2nd overall pick this year could be another star. Then potentially add Johnny to that group.

[activeStick]

New Jersey is a team on the rise, I agree with that sentiment. The Flames number 1 goalie finished 2nd for the Vezina, their top centre finished 2nd for the Selke and their head coach was voted the best coach in the NHL. Their top line all scored 40 goals and Johnny's linemates got more than 100 points. Nobody gave the Flames much of a chance last summer heading into the season and they won the division. Also have some interesting prospects in the A very close to being ready.

The Flames will be good for a while and in my opinion, will be better than New Jersey by a wide margin over the next 3 seasons.

[dino7c]

some people on here will just never give the Flames credit...3 players and a coach finished top 2 for major awards. 3 NHL team all stars of 10 league wide.
Yeah they had a tough round two, so did a lot of teams

Devils have a couple decent players, they also had 63 points...worse than any Flames team ever, EVER. They won't be a playoff team for another 3 or 4 years at least, Gaudreau's prime.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Injuries happen. Careers decline. He will be 35. Sure there are players who sign after that. But lots aren’t even playing. There’s less than 20 in the whole NHL.

That number seemed a little low. I checked hockey reference and it shows 43 skaters in the NHL this season age 35 and older.

Gaudreau seems like a prime candidate for a long career and IMO, UFA at 35 vs 36 has more than a zero value to him. Flames will have to pay for that 8th year.

[CFO]

Gut feeling is JG signs with devils.

And devil's go hard in offseason.

Move 2nd overall for pastranak.



Gaudreau - Hughes - Pastranak.

[OminousFlames]

I just hope Flames fans stay classy, and not rip on their family, if he decides to choose to be closer to home. I know a lot of fans interact with their family lately, especially this year. In the end the NHL is a business.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I think people are looking at New Jersey and Philly far too pessimistically.

Philly played pretty much their entire season without their #1 centre, and their #2 defenceman. What would have happened to the Flames season if they lacked Gaudreau but then also lost Lindholm and one of Andersson or Tanev for the entire season...it'd be disastrous.

New Jersey also lost their #1 centre for most of the year, and had no goalie (which they'll try to fix this summer). They've also got two big players coming in that haven't arrived yet in Hughes and Holtz - oh and probably Cooley or Slafkovsky this summer.

If I was Johnny, I'd choose to play with the New Jersey roster for the next 7 years sooner than the Flames roster.

That’s why Philly scares me, they are such a wild card.

Do something that make no sense?! WILD CARD


Did we expect the Rangers who should have been rebuilding to grab Panarin? Nope wild card

Grab a top line winger when we can? Do not say no.


After every move (Philly) and where they finished, They’d sign Gaudreau and move stuff after the fact.

[Draug]

Originally Posted by OminousFlames

I just hope Flames fans stay classy, and not rip on their family, if he decides to choose to be closer to home. I know a lot of fans interact with their family lately, especially this year. In the end the NHL is a business.

That's one thing the Flames Club is guaranteed to be. Classy. Often to the detriment of our competitiveness. I expect the fans will follow suit.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by CFO

Gut feeling is JG signs with devils.

And devil's go hard in offseason.

Move 2nd overall for pastranak.



Gaudreau - Hughes - Pastranak.

It will take a lot more than just the #2 pick to land Pasta in NJ.

[Erick Estrada]

You can't count out the Flyers as they have been throwing darts for years now in free agency overpaying players like Hayes and JVR and by all accounts are prepared to go big game hunting once again which makes some sense when you consider that they have guys like Ristolainen, Couturier, Atkinson, Hayes, Farabee, etc all tied up past 2025 so rebuilding really isn't a feasible option for them.

[Flames1217]

If ever we do lose Gaudreau I can easily see us ending up with Forsberg. Although there is an apparent drop in talent, it could be far worse.

Forsberg also likely comes in at a slightly lower number, which could be used to elsewhere.

I really hope Johnny re-signs but at this point the likelyhood lessens each day.

[442scotty]

Ill be happily shocked if Gaudreau signs with the Flames and if he leaves, equally shocked if an attempt isn’t made to trade Tkachuk at the draft.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

Ill be happily shocked if Gaudreau signs with the Flames and if he leaves, equally shocked if an attempt isn’t made to trade Tkachuk at the draft.

If Gaudreau leaves it does put the Flames in a situation where they could lose their top two forwards in consecutive offseasons. I don't think they can afford that and they will make a big long term contract offer to Tkachuk. I do think money talks for the Tkachuks and that 8th year may be enough to entice him to stay. If he informs them he plans on playing out his qualifying offer then I just don't see how the Flames can afford not to trade him. As hard as it would be for this organization to stomach taking a big step back, they just can't afford to let this much talent walk without recouping assets.

[ForeverFlameFan]

I think many of you are going to be disappointed. Johnny probably wants to hear from other suitors first before he signs somewhere. As someone has mentioned before I think we see a Landeskog 2.0 where he talks to other teams. Let’s hope Johnny stays.

[2macinnis2]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

If Gaudreau leaves it does put the Flames in a situation where they could lose their top two forwards in consecutive offseasons. I don't think they can afford that and they will make a big long term contract offer to Tkachuk. I do think money talks for the Tkachuks and that 8th year may be enough to entice him to stay. If he informs them he plans on playing out his qualifying offer then I just don't see how the Flames can afford not to trade him. As hard as it would be for this organization to stomach taking a big step back, they just can't afford to let this much talent walk without recouping assets.

I generally agree with this. I am in the corner of pulling out all the stops to sign Gaudreau, and considering a trade of Tkachuk regardless for cap purposes.

That said, Flames are no doubt in win-now mode with Darryl. How about this unlikely scenario if Gaudreau walks… make a big money short-term offer to Bergeron? Probably unlikely he leaves Boston if he doesn’t retire, but if he wants to keep playing and sees Boston as potentially heading towards rebuild, maybe he could be had with a big money offer, which doesn’t need to saddle the team for 5+ years.

Bergeron-Lindholm-Backlund down the middle would be something.

[Britflamesfan]

Originally Posted by dino7c

some people on here will just never give the Flames credit...3 players and a coach finished top 2 for major awards. 3 NHL team all stars of 10 league wide.
Yeah they had a tough round two, so did a lot of teams

Devils have a couple decent players, they also had 63 points...worse than any Flames team ever, EVER. They won't be a playoff team for another 3 or 4 years at least, Gaudreau's prime.

Dino you seem to conveniently forget that if JG is signed and MT takes the 9M we will lose 1/3 of our defence and maybe Eat Bread. This team will not be improving on last year it will in fact be worse. Sutter is likely only around for one more season, JG is not stupid and is already asking questions as too who is coming to help carry the puck up ice. This was our year regardless if we sign JG and MT again and we did not get even close. Having watched the hockey being played in the final this team is not going to get to the promised land.