Seravalli: Gaudreau has informed the Flames he will not return

[ComixZone]

Bye Johnny.

Bye Chucky (or hi Chucky on a stupid one year contract where we have to go through this next season).

[djsFlames]

Sorry, but this was handled poorly by Johnny.

Not classy to leave your long time team hanging in the balance until the 11th hour only to walk. I really don't like that.

[PuckSlap]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Rebuild.

Scrop, I’m to old for another rebuild. I wanna win now.

Now begone with you!

I love you

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by JurassicTunga12

On the other hand, I’m kinda looking forward to hitting a bit of a refresh button here.

Just wish it was management’s decision.

[Philly06Cup]

For most of the year, Flames were a top three team in the entire league by goal differential/fancy stats/betting odds. That's a team you build on, Johnny or no Johnny. Take your rebuild and stuff it.

[TherapyforGlencross]

#### you johnny! Hopefully the second round is as far as you’ll ever get!

[MrMike]

Just please rebuild especially with Tkachuk so close to leaving. We have a ton of good parts that could bring in a ton of value. It could be a two-three year turn around with a solid proper rebuild.

[AT77]

Perhaps it’s situations like these that give evidence to support that the draft should happen after free agency opens. If Johnny wanting to test free agency occurred before, once Wright didn’t go #1, perhaps Flames could have traded Tkachuk for picks 2-4 + more assets and drafted Wright.

Trading Tkachuk now for a future first round pick is a crapshoot because who knows what number that pick will be. In the former case, we’d know for sure we’d be getting Wright once he didn’t go #1, and that would be the #1C we’ve never truly had since the 80s, and a perfect start to a proper rebuild with a franchise talent to surround.

Now that ship has sailed too lol.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Sorry, but this was handled poorly by Johnny.

Not classy to leave your long time team hanging in the balance only to walk. I really don't like that.

It sounds like he made an offer to the Flames though. They turned it down, no?

[gilligans_off]

I could see this costing Brad his job. He needs to have a pulse on the team. They let the best drafted Flame in 30 years walk for nothing. Doesn’t give me a lot of trust.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by TherapyforGlencross

#### you johnny! Hopefully the second round is as far as you’ll ever get!

If he's signing with NJ he won't even see playoffs.

[Racki]

I know there will be millions of well wishes and all that kind of stuff. Not from me. The word fan comes from fanatic. I am a fanatic and there is nothing normal or rational about what that does to me. I hope his new team never plays a single post season game.

[Hackey]

Dissentowner still believes.

[Icon]

Originally Posted by AT77

Perhaps it’s situations like these that give evidence to support that the draft should happen after free agency opens. If Johnny wanting to test free agency occurred before, once Wright didn’t go #1, perhaps Flames could have traded Tkachuk for picks 2-4 + more assets and drafted Wright.

Trading Tkachuk now for a future first round pick is a crapshoot because who knows what number that pick will be. In the former case, we’d know for sure we’d be getting Wright once he didn’t go #1, and that would be the #1C we’ve never truly had since the 80s, and a perfect start to a proper rebuild with a franchise talent to surround.

Now that ship has sailed too lol.

Could trade Tkachuk to Seattle I guess...

[agulati]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

It sounds like he made an offer to the Flames though. They turned it down, no?

The offer might have been negotiating by the agent, without necessarily having the commitment that Johnny had made up his mind.

[DeluxeMoustache]

[MrMike]

Well, on the bright side we don’t have to worry about movie Lucic and Monahan anymore…

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Going glass half full on this, if the flames go the way of rebuilding, this could be a massive blessing in disguise.

Grabbing one of the top 2 draft picks and could be the league’s fastest rebuild.

You have to win the lottery to draft top-2. Nobody can plan to do that.

[Strange Brew]

So we’ve lost some great players before but never for absolutely nothing when they were at their peak. Even if you didn’t want to commit the money to Gaudreau, this is a rough day.

[TBone290]

I wish him well, wherever he goes.