Seravalli: Gaudreau has informed the Flames he will not return

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Essentially get players who want to be here and don't wait until the last second of the dance to make your decision.

If you are offering Tkachuk 8 years at over $10MM and the captaincy and he's unsure, have some intellectual honesty.

Originally Posted by ComixZone

More or less that this was years in the making and that the Flames did not do a good job protecting the team.

That this team needs to be more realistic about who wants to be here and who doesn't and more or less be pretty clear - if you want to be here, sign a contract in advance. If you don't? Be honest with the fans, and trade the player because they have to manage the asset.

Protect the Calgary Flames above all else.

Agree on the Tkachuk front…but without knowing what deals and offers were available on the table for Gaudreau the last two years it’s tough to say.

His value on the trade market in the 2021 offseason is not nearly as big as it is right now. .

Finding elite talent is hard and I have no issues with Treliving trying to do whatever he can to keep him.

Honestly if the offers for Gaudreau last year were just a 1st + Mid Level Prospect + Cap Dump then I think you keep him.

Look what Reinhart returned last year and that’s probably a good comparable for what was out there for Gaudreau.

A 1st and Devon Levi likely doesn’t make a huge difference, but if they could have re-signed Gaudreau to keep him it would have been big deal.

I think they actually made the right bet and if there was a great deal that was a good return actually on the table for Gaudreau last year they would have made it.

[nieuwy-89]

Incredibly sad and disappointed. This is a system failure. The entire management team should be ashamed to lose a 100 point player for nothing.

But as others have said, it’s not the end of the world. We still have a good team. A playoff team. Or we have the option to sell and rebuild.

I would take a hard look at the front office though. This demonstrates that despite all of their resources, access, and incumbent advantage, they did not have their finger on the pulse of their best player and top asset.

[Moneyhands23]

What a crap day.. sports have been my best outlet these last few years. Feels so bad today.

[butterfly]

Had the Flames accepted the Devils rumored offer of their 1st round pick & stuff for Tkachuk, how many people would be blaming that right now for Johnny leaving?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I kind of hope Tkachuk wants out now and that hopefully we can get a nice return for him.

I don't he'll ever duplicate that season again and that we'd be hopefully selling high.

Not very high, considering he's UFA in a year and unlikely to re-sign anywhere before that. All he has to do is sign his QO and pack his bags.

By the way, I am not one of these people who think Tkachuk is bound to end up in St. Louis. He comes from a family of mercenaries. He'll go wherever the money is.

[djsFlames]

We don't have the upcoming talent go absorb this short term. Thats the real stinger. At least not much that is ready. Maybe Coronato next year.

May have to resort to B players from FA.

The only positive I can come up with is no more button hooks?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Muta

We're going to definitely need to start looking closer at building a team of players that are interested in being here for the long term; ones that see a vision for success, see the value in building a team as a whole (the Crosby discount), and have roots in this area if possible (similar to what happened today). Above all, we need a respected and revered organization that puts 100% into what the team, the players and the fan experience.

Then can we get to a point where star players are leaving American and eastern teams to 'come home' to play here. Even as a small market, I don't think it's impossible with the right vision and commitment to a plan.

It is a clear example of how Canadian teams are at a disadvantage. Players ultimately want to play in big American markets: NY, Boston, California, Florida.

And perhaps that's why Canadian teams are so intent on kicking open their contention window early because they maybe realize they may not have a long window once its open.

When people look at the long Canadian cup drought clearly there are factors that put those teams at a disadvantage. No different than MLB where certain teams are just playing with a different set of rules.

[Harpz0012]

Trade his rights to another team to get something?


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[TBone290]

One year ago, Johnny's modified NTC kicked in, 5 teams he would accept a trade to. BT either trades him before that, or gambles on the team having success and re-signing him (or being really bad and trading him). The team had success.

Realistically, what would the return be if the flames traded his negotiation rights? A 3rd? A 2nd? I'm sure many teams were aware that he's going to sign with a team in the NE, so it's not like it's a huge bidding war for his rights.

What is a honest return that the flames would have gotten for him if he informed the team two or three weeks earlier? I really wonder...

[browna]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Tie games in third period of games 2, 4 and 5 vs Edmonton is “barely competitive”. Interesting.

Beating Colorado in Colorado and losing a one goal game is “barely competitive”.

Tough crowd.

Yeah the revisionist history of this season and the Oilers playoff series will be unbearable.
Flames would've taken Colorado to 6 games if they got last the Oilers.

If the refs don't blow a quick whistle and disallow a Flames tying goal with 10 mins to go in the third, it well could've been 2-0 back to Edmonton. And even with that game where the Flames have up 5 odd man rushes in 6 minutes against the Oilers and Andersson Kylington and Hanifin turned into pumpkins, add in the faux kicked in goal in game 5 and Flames, without playing a lick better but getting those calls, and it's over in 6 or 7 for the Flames.

[Strange Brew]

If you think of Gaudreau as any UFA, and not our own guy, you can look at this as the Brad Richards situation. I see a few similarities.

[CGY12]

Does anybody know where I can find the Flames cap spending for the last 10 years? Can't seem to find anything that can take me back year to year that far on google. Involved in a heated debate with an Oiler fan, apparently our ownership doesn't want to spend money.

[Jaydee]

Originally Posted by Muta

We're going to definitely need to start looking closer at building a team of players that are interested in being here for the long term; ones that see a vision for success, see the value in building a team as a whole (the Crosby discount), and have roots in this area if possible (similar to what happened today). Above all, we need a respected and revered organization that puts 100% into what the team, the players and the fan experience.

Then can we get to a point where star players are leaving American and eastern teams to 'come home' to play here. Even as a small market, I don't think it's impossible with the right vision and commitment to a plan.

yeah but we have the worst arena

[PaperBagger'14]

I dont wanna quote your whole post Jiri, but as much as I wanted Johnny here I do agree that a 8x10.5 contract would hamstring the team. He's a hell of a player with a very rare skill set in the same ilk as Panarin, but neither are worth those deals.

I would have had a lot more respect for Gaudreau if he would have been more forthright with his intentions to leave. Now I have no well wishes for him.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Had the Flames accepted the Devils rumored offer of their 1st round pick & stuff for Tkachuk, how many people would be blaming that right now for Johnny leaving?

The idea would be that the Flames would have known Johnny wasn't staying.

[CF84]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Had the Flames accepted the Devils rumored offer of their 1st round pick & stuff for Tkachuk, how many people would be blaming that right now for Johnny leaving?

None, if Johnny was more honest about his intentions from the start of negotiations.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I kind of hope Tkachuk wants out now and that hopefully we can get a nice return for him.

I don't he'll ever duplicate that season again and that we'd be hopefully selling high.

If that scenario plays out I guess the silver lining is we won't be building the team around a pair of wingers wo eat up $20-22 million cap for the next 8 years...

And I believe he’d be smart enough to let them Flames know he isn’t signing long term before he signs his QO, so if he’s traded he has a chance for them to lock him up.

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by Murph

To the Leafs, with salary retained, for a couple of 1sts.

How about for Nylander as L1 LW with Lindholm and Tkachuk?


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[sa226]

Honestly, this team this last season was the best Calgary Flames team that I've seen. (I'm not old enough to remember 80s and early 90s

And they still lost to the Oilers in 5.

It was time for a new direction. We can debate all day about who's fault it is or where it all went wrong. It's just time.

I'm numb to any decisions around rebuild vs retool vs try and compete. I don't care, we could rebuild and have and even more frustratingly average team, we could retool and win the division. Whatever. I'll still watch regardless.

If I had an opinion worth anything, I'd say, if you can trade Tkachuk for young players that can play now. Do it. You're kidding yourself if you think he's not going to do the exact same thing Gaudreau did. Try to strengthen the centre position and if you can upgrade the defense.

I loved watching the top line last year, but I'm bot sure the right recipe to win is to pay 20million plus to 2 wingers. Build through defense and center. See what Sutter can do for one more year with the group you have and then make the decision next summer.

It kinda complicates things having Sutter around for one more year. I just don't think you can waste having one of the best coaches of the past 20 years coach your team.

I'm neutral on Treliving, GM is always the bad guy when it gets to this, whether it's deserved or not. Fire him, extend him, I don't care.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

If you think of Gaudreau as any UFA, and not our own guy, you can look at this as the Brad Richards situation. I see a few similarities.

Hadn't thought of it that way but I agree.