Retire Johnny Gaudreau's #13

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Good. I like to imagine Forever a Flame was created for him walking out on the franchise. He was one of my favourite Flames of all time before he sat out like a turd.

Exactly, Johnny is a perfect forever a flame

[Paulie Walnuts]

Forever a flame is discontinued.

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I like many others was shocked and deeply saddened at the passing of the 2 Gaudreau brothers. Johnny during his time here was a hell of a player and a great citizen of our city too.

When the cards were on the table, he opted to leave the team high and dry and slow played his way to free agency, intentional or not that is what happened. He may have made the best decision for his family and that’s a fair thing to do, hell I may have made the same choice for my family too.

However he burned this team and this city with his indecisiveness. Between his choice to leave, Tkachuk requesting a trade with honor, and Treliving trading for that bum Huberdeau, the flames cratered. Johnny was the first domino in all of this and I’m fine if he gets the Fleury treatment but I never want to see his number in the rafters.

I think you need to read the room man... Go touch some grass

Sent from my SM-F946W using Tapatalk

[Inferno099]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf_Phan

Are we going to retire Tkachuck's number too? If not then I don't think we should retire #13. The way he left Calgary and left us with no trade wasn't good. Just my two cents.

Shouldn’t even be a thought. Johnny was a great player and a great person.
Top 5 points on the team all time . He would’ve been retired in 10 years if he hada full career. His career in Calgary by itself is deserving of retiring #13.
I think#9 was retired the season after he retired.

Yes I am part of those who believe his #13 will be retired within the next 3 years and extremely deserving.

And #2 and 25 should be retired too. Stop the nonsense of Forever a Flame without retiring the numbers.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I think it will be a while. Sounds like Meredith wants to wait to bring the kids here to see calgary. It makes sense.

When the kids can understand and take it all in.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by manwiches

I think you need to read the room man... Go touch some grass

Sent from my SM-F946W using Tapatalk

We’re all entitled to our opinions. I was beside myself when I heard of his passing, I went to the memorial with my son, took photos for CP users to see and full disclosure I cried a bit at the memorial.

I’m allowed to feel very sad about his passing and “read the room” while also not being happy about how he left the flames. He was a great flame, he did the best by his family and not the team and that’s understandable. He was always about his family and not the team, which is a very fair stance to take. I value my family way more than the company I work for.

For that reason he doesn’t deserve his number to be retired. The only reason we are considering retiring his number is because of the tragedy of him and Matthew’s passing. Had Johnny posted 60+ points a year for 7 more years for CBJ he wouldn’t even be in the discussion of having his number retired.

[Inferno099]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

We’re all entitled to our opinions. I was beside myself when I heard of his passing, I went to the memorial with my son, took photos for CP users to see and full disclosure I cried a bit at the memorial.

I’m allowed to feel very sad about his passing and “read the room” while also not being happy about how he left the flames. He was a great flame, he did the best by his family and not the team and that’s understandable. He was always about his family and not the team, which is a very fair stance to take. I value my family way more than the company I work for.

For that reason he doesn’t deserve his number to be retired. The only reason we are considering retiring his number is because of the tragedy of him and Matthew’s passing. Had Johnny posted 60+ points a year for 7 more years for CBJ he wouldn’t even be in the discussion of having his number retired.

As you have your opinion there are many who easily see 13 should be retired. Based on your reasoning and example of future seasons JG should’ve had then #9 shouldn’t have been retired in Calgary with only 400+ points. Which is equally incorrect. Of course 9 should have and rightly so. And 13 definitely should be retired only 10 years earlier than any of us expected.
I’ve been cheering Calgary since 1980 and was a Lanny fan back in his Leaf and Rockies days.

[MrButtons]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

We’re all entitled to our opinions. I was beside myself when I heard of his passing, I went to the memorial with my son, took photos for CP users to see and full disclosure I cried a bit at the memorial.

I’m allowed to feel very sad about his passing and “read the room” while also not being happy about how he left the flames. He was a great flame, he did the best by his family and not the team and that’s understandable. He was always about his family and not the team, which is a very fair stance to take. I value my family way more than the company I work for.

For that reason he doesn’t deserve his number to be retired. The only reason we are considering retiring his number is because of the tragedy of him and Matthew’s passing. Had Johnny posted 60+ points a year for 7 more years for CBJ he wouldn’t even be in the discussion of having his number retired.

Just to hop in here - and not disagreeing nor providing any opinions here - but there's a lot of I in your sentence until the "we are considering", which is exactly how we all feel.

This sh** sucks and is different for us all, and I think this (situation, not post) is a great example. The reality is that what means the most to the Gaudreau's is what matters. I trust the Flames, I trust the family, and I trust the fanbase to do what's best for those impacted most.

[FusionX]

Originally Posted by Flamesguy_SJ

I like the idea of the number just.... being up in the rafters on opening night. The ceremony and celebration can happen, like others have said, when the family is ready. But I think it would say a lot from the organization to the fans & community if right from the first puck drop, Johnny's number is just up there beside Iginla and Lanny and Vernon.

I'm of the same mind. Whether there is ultimately a full-blown ceremony like Iggy most recently, or if it's a much more subdued recognition of Johnny down the line, I feel like just having that jersey be hanging there by puck-drop at game 1 feels right.

Long after the outdoor memorial is gone, long after the acute pain has dulled to perhaps more of an ache, his jersey being up there can (imo) be a reminder that it's not all about hockey.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by MrButtons

Just to hop in here - and not disagreeing nor providing any opinions here - but there's a lot of I in your sentence until the "we are considering", which is exactly how we all feel.

This sh** sucks and is different for us all, and I think this (situation, not post) is a great example. The reality is that what means the most to the Gaudreau's is what matters. I trust the Flames, I trust the family, and I trust the fanbase to do what's best for those impacted most.

The whole situation sucks, a lot. I like Johnny, I don’t like how he left, but I truly appreciate his time here. I’d like to share a funny story about the memorial though.

My sister in law, her husband and 2 children (3 and 6 years old) are huge oilers fans and we’re visiting my family the weekend after the crash. We all went for dinner downtown and I asked if they would be ok going to the memorial. They said yes and even my bro in law oilers fan left a purple Gatorade. But while driving to the memorial the mom was explaining to the kids about how Johnny passed the 3 year old said “oh ####”.

I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time

[MrButtons]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

The whole situation sucks, a lot. I like Johnny, I don’t like how he left, but I truly appreciate his time here. I’d like to share a funny story about the memorial though.

My sister in law, her husband and 2 children (3 and 6 years old) are huge oilers fans and we’re visiting my family the weekend after the crash. We all went for dinner downtown and I asked if they would be ok going to the memorial. They said yes and even my bro in law oilers fan left a purple Gatorade. But while driving to the memorial the mom was explaining to the kids about how Johnny passed the 3 year old said “oh ####”.

I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time

Kids are unreal at simply saying what we're all feeling haha. Appreciate you sharing this

[Tiger]

Make a statue outside the dome of him... I've it to the new arena as the main art piece outside

[Paulie Walnuts]

I think a statue is probably more for BC.

Iggy and Lanny likely.

[Johnny Makarov]

and how can you tell how special Gaudreau was to the Flames...
Flames hockey was barely watchable before he got here and it was unwatchable after he left.

Tied with Makarov for the most skilled Flame ever! both ahead of Nilsson.

[Jaydee]

IMO I would be more worried about his Dad getting to witness any ceremony, rather than waiting years so his kids can see it.

[icarus]

I fully support retiring #13 at a time when the Gaudreau family is comfortable in doing so.

Yes it still stings that he didn't re-sign with the Flames but free agency is the players' prerogative; they have one career and ultimately we need to respect their decisions whether or not it's what we want as fans.

We shouldn't let his decision overshadow the great things he accomplished on and off the ice while in Calgary, and it should have no bearing on how the organisation decides to honour him in perpetuity.

[ThePrince]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I like many others was shocked and deeply saddened at the passing of the 2 Gaudreau brothers. Johnny during his time here was a hell of a player and a great citizen of our city too.

When the cards were on the table, he opted to leave the team high and dry and slow played his way to free agency, intentional or not that is what happened. He may have made the best decision for his family and that’s a fair thing to do, hell I may have made the same choice for my family too.

However he burned this team and this city with his indecisiveness. Between his choice to leave, Tkachuk requesting a trade with honor, and Treliving trading for that bum Huberdeau, the flames cratered. Johnny was the first domino in all of this and I’m fine if he gets the Fleury treatment but I never want to see his number in the rafters.

Could not disagree more. The reason he was indecisive was because of how much he liked the city, the team, and us fans. Imagine how much he cared about those things to even consider not making the clearly best choice for his family and moving back to the US.

I didn’t hold a grudge when he made the decision, and sure as hell don’t hold a grudge now. You could tell how much he did want to stay, and how much playing for this team meant to him and his family. He also meant so much to this team, which was clearly headed for a rebuild after selling off Iggy, Regehr, Bouwmeester, Phaneuf, Kipper retiring - but in came superstar Johnny that made the team exciting and fun to watch again.

There is no decision acceptable other than to retire his jersey, and I would be supremely disappointed if they didn’t do it.

[Coach]

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