Johnny Gaudreau signs an 8-year extension for the rumored $9.5M initial offer minutes before free agency.
At the press conference, Gaudreau gets asked "Johnny, were you close to testing free agency?". Johnny responds, "Guys. I signed the first offer I was given. I always knew I was coming back. In fact, I'm been saving a little surprise for this moment..."
*pulls out a TV with a recording he made*
*video starts playing*
[in the video] "Hey Flames fans, Johnny here. It's May 26th. Just got home from our final game of the season. Very tough loss. We had higher aspirations this season. I'm sorry we couldn't do better for you. But I want you to know... WE'LL be back. Yes, of course I'm re-signing in Calgary. This is the team that believed in me right from the get-go. This is the city that welcomed me with open arms and showed nothing but support. This is my home. I never had an ounce of doubt that I'd be back. We're bringing the Cup to Calgary, because that's what you fans deserve. However, you might be stressed out for the next couple of months wondering why I haven't re-signed. Well, you can call this petty on my part, but I personally think it's hilarious... Remember back when I signed my 6-year extension and Tre kinda twisted my arm a little bit since I had no leverage? Yea, well this is my opportunity to get him back. I'm coming back home to Calgary, but gonna make Tre sweat it out until the final minute. Love you guys. See you soon, C of Red!"
*video ends*
Treliving: "You son of a b****"
*whole room bursts into laughter*
*goes down as the best Flames press conference in history*
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with friedman reporting on 32 thoughts that the flames will be asking him to state his intentions this week, we may understand through the team's actions at the draft and following what Johnny's communication to them was.
SPECULATING!!
Most of what they talk about on the podcast is speculation. Even when they are talking about things that they've actually reported, it strays towards speculation when they start unpacking the background/details.
And IIRC he didn't say "state his intentions" - it was something like "seek more clarity on his intentions"
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Valji: Yeah Jay, it’s a mystery that may require some investigative journalism but all parties are being silent including [Flames General Manager] Brad Treliving, Johnny’s agent Lewis Gross, Johnny’s not responding to my Instagram direct messages so unfortunately we do not really know a ton but it does look like he’s seriously mulling his options.
"not responding to my Instagram direct messages"
Is this how its done these days? Someone tell me if this is a facepalm moment or how its actually done. I'm old.
Valji: Yeah Jay, it’s a mystery that may require some investigative journalism but all parties are being silent including [Flames General Manager] Brad Treliving, Johnny’s agent Lewis Gross, Johnny’s not responding to my Instagram direct messages so unfortunately we do not really know a ton but it does look like he’s seriously mulling his options.
"not responding to my Instagram direct messages"
Is this how its done these days? Someone tell me if this is a facepalm moment or how its actually done. I'm old.
I believe that two people in the know may speak to eachother through instagram messages, but IMO what Salim is saying is equivalent to saying you or I were unsuccessful in getting johnny to reply to an IG message.
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I believe that two people in the know may speak to eachother through instagram messages, but IMO what Salim is saying is equivalent to saying you or I were unsuccessful in getting johnny to reply to an IG message.
Using Instagram doesn't seem very professional to me. It seems more like the way close friends would communicate. Maybe they are close friends, or maybe I am just out of touch. I use a lot of social media platforms or even follow them, but is JG actually active on Instagram enough that he would check him messages daily? I think if I was a multi-million dollar athlete heading into summer, I would have more important things to do.
__________________
"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
My thought is that if Johnny leaves, the Flames go "all-in" on Tkachuk and double down on being a gritty, hard-to-play-against, defense-first team.
Re-sign the other RFAs and bring back Gudbranson. Try to shore up the Defense by adding some size and mobility (ie. upgrade Zadorov), and maybe bring in a middle-six PP specialist to replace some (not all) of Johnny's production.
Sounds simple I know, but I don't think the team would be as bad as people think. Especially if they can keep the GAA down like they did this year.
I agree with you. If Johnny leaves, like you said, Tkachuk is extended at big $$$. He'll be made captain in a couple years (I'm guessing they talk to him about this during negotiations and Flames will see how he feels about having Tanev wear the 'C' with Tkachuk getting it in a couple when he feels he's ready) and Treliving will fill the hole as best he can via trade or free agency. Won't replace Johnny as he has a unique skillset, but you can be as good (maybe better) if the right piece(s) click with the group that remains.
Ah, fair enough. I didn't watch the embedded video so maybe its more apparent in there. Just don't know him to bring a lot of humor to his reporting. Not that I can recall anyway.
Exactly what will happen:
At the press conference, Gaudreau gets asked "Johnny, were you close to testing free agency?". Johnny responds, "Guys. I signed the first offer I was given. I always knew I was coming back. In fact, I'm been saving a little surprise for this moment..."
*pulls out a TV with a recording he made*
*video starts playing*
If this was 1989! Who carries a TV they can pull out of their pocket?
Really? Can you point me to one thing that he’s broken? It’s typically just him rehashing rumors that make sense or are already out there.
Then Friedman, or Seravelli, or whoever will actually break the news and then he points back to his rumor post and says “see! I knew it!”. He comes across as very juvenile.
Not to mention he sells t shirts with his twitter name on it lol. There is a reason why he was begging barstool to take him on as their “insider” and now they completely ignore him.
I think NRD has gotten some things right in the past.
Off the top of my head he got the Ryan Ellis to Philly deal four days before it was announced. Had Caleb Jones for Keith almost two weeks before the deal was made. Hamilton to NJ a week before free agency. Got the ESPN-NHL deal before it was announced. Don't remember if any of those were mentioned by reputable insiders that far ahead.
Seems like he's more dialed into the American markets, never seems to have anything right on Calgary though.
Maybe they did that? At the end of the day we have no idea what's really going on. We have no idea if they made a low ball offer? And we certainly have no idea of what is going on between Treliving and Johnny/his agent to suggest anything in the way of how to better negotiate this.
I do understand that giving someone an ultimatum when that person has most of the leverage can backfire in a hurry.
I don't profess to know what they did or didn't do, just thinking out loud. To me the Flames have no leverage besides holding exclusive neg rights for a week longer. Makes sense to use that to give him a known offer, maybe put the seed of doubt in his mind that he might not be able to get as much as that in the open market, including from the flames. Basically all you can do at this point. I guess it's kind of an ultimatum but it's all you have, ultimatum's backfire when you think you have all the cards but actually don't, I don't think Brad and the boys have any disillusions about their standing with johnny.
I still contend this is a crossroads for the Flames and a rebuild may be forced upon them if Gaudreau does not extend with the team. The Flames may be able to throw an ungodly offer at Tkachuk, but what would be his motivation other than money? This is not a team with a wealth of assets that could turn into top end talent or be used to surround Tkachuk with high end free agents. I see him accepting his qualifying offer and going UFA where 32 teams can bid for his services. If the Flames already know this, and they should, he should be traded at the draft which will signal the fire sale certain to follow the departure of the team's best two players.
