[Signing] Gaudreau to Columbus (7 x $9.75 million)

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by iggyloob12

The Athletic article by Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline notes that Johnny decided long ago that he wasn’t going to sign in Calgary …

“Calgary reportedly had offered eight years at $10.5 million per season, but Gaudreau decided early on that he wasn’t going back to the Flames.”

Stings. Stinks.

https://theathletic.com/3422168/2022...shared_article

The way it went down according to that article stings. It certainly seems that Johnny wanted out, and he strung the whole team and fan base along.

[Weitz]

Guy wants to make his money with minimal responsibility. If you ever met him it’d make sense.

I’ve met him but I’m still shocked to be honest.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by manwiches

I truly believe he was confused through this process. To many cooks in the kitchen, and not enough sound advice or anchored advice to take.

I do believe he had the best intentions. But his advisors/agent/circle failed him. Some of you are going to scream "well he's a grown man!". Well yes. But even grown men need support systems and lean on those they trust.

I just think it's a failure from almost every level on this. We will never know truly what he thought. He was already guarded while playing for us, but I am willing to bet he looks back at this moment, and regrets much of how it played out.

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Yeah, hockey players are grown men. Mostly with barely high school educations and in Gaudreau’s case a little more but who knows what he did in 3 years of jock college. Agents wield a lot of influence. As does family.

[GullFoss]

Scenario A: Johnny miscalculated. He tried to max dollars and expected $11-$12m per year. So he spurned the flames. Then took the highest offer available as a UFA, which was $9.75 x 7-years

Scenario B: Johnny was going to take max dollars among any team within a 90 minute flight of Philly. Then took the highest offer available as a UFA, which was $9.75 x 7-years

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Had CBJ gone out and outbid the field I’d get it. This is a bottom 3 NHL destination. I’m stunned. There has to have been stuff that fell apart for him today, I don’t have any other explanation.

This is an interesting observation.

[JohnnyB]

Couldn't have imagined saying this a couple of days ago when I would have hoped to see him signed long-term, but if the info coming out is all accurate I'm pretty fine right now with him getting booed whenever he's back in Calgary. He deserved to be cheered for eight years and was cheered for eight years. If he gets booed on visits back to Calgary for the next seven years it will be deserved too.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

I’ve only been able to read through to page 38 in this thread, so forgive me if this point has already been raised. I keep reading both in this thread and in preceding threads that he wanted to be closer to family. That seems like perhaps an assumption and may not be accurate. The statements I’ve seen from both Gaudreau’ s camp and the Flames just state it’s for family reasons. That might mean being closer to family, but it could mean a host of other things too. Really. I think all we can safely assume is he didn’t want to be here, in which case it’s best that he left. For everyone’s sake. What the real reason is we may never know.

It does seem like he had his mind made up a long time ago. His refusal to allow his agent to negotiate during the season, and reports that there was a long stretch that he was unresponsive after the season.

You're right, family reasons can mean a lot of different things. When the "closer to family" thing comes up, I think some people take it to the extreme in that JG wanted to be living within the same city as his family. I personally took it as just relatively closer, as is in the same country, same time zone, easier travel to visit.

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah, hockey players are grown men. Mostly with barely high school educations and in Gaudreau’s case a little more but who knows what he did in 3 years of jock college. Agents wield a lot of influence. As does family.

Even the brightest and most independent people need to lean on their circle and emotional support (family, friends, etc)...

Further to your comment on the jocks, I agree with many of them. I rented a condo to an ex flame (he only played 1 year in the 90s), and he was so out of touch of how to handle normal life situations. He constantly relied on his girlfriend to convey what he needed. It was brutal to be his land Lord, and I ended up evicting him

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[Weitz]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah, hockey players are grown men. Mostly with barely high school educations and in Gaudreau’s case a little more but who knows what he did in 3 years of jock college. Agents wield a lot of influence. As does family.

“He didn’t pick our team now we attack him personally”

[Mindtravellee]

Looking forward to his book. Do they have a new facility? Could it be the saddledome clusterf?

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Had CBJ gone out and outbid the field I’d get it. This is a bottom 3 NHL destination. I’m stunned. There has to have been stuff that fell apart for him today, I don’t have any other explanation.

From the quotes in that Athletic article, it sounds as though the Jackets were stunned he had any interest in playing there too.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by iggyloob12

The Athletic article by Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline notes that Johnny decided long ago that he wasn’t going to sign in Calgary …

“Calgary reportedly had offered eight years at $10.5 million per season, but Gaudreau decided early on that he wasn’t going back to the Flames.”

Stings. Stinks.

https://theathletic.com/3422168/2022...shared_article

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

The way it went down according to that article stings. It certainly seems that Johnny wanted out, and he strung the whole team and fan base along.

Nothing in the article suggests he strung the team along or that he knew long ago. I don’t even see any details in the article about the way it went down that we didn’t already know.

The only mention is that he knew “early on”. Early on what? In free agency? the summer? Off season? His entire contract?

So ultimately it could have been last year or last week and still be “early on”.

I also find it hard to believe anyone would think the flames were blindsided. The minute he didn’t sign last off season, or this season, or as soon as the season ended, it should have been apparent. And I’m guessing it was obvious to Tre but even knowing it was a lame duck situation he had to keep trying to the sake of the media, fans and his own job security.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

The way it went down according to that article stings. It certainly seems that Johnny wanted out, and he strung the whole team and fan base along.

How though? He and his agent told the team that no talks would occur during the season, I also don't remember at any point during the season him discussing it. I mean I guess you could wish he would have asked out last offseason but that would have leaked and diminished his value.

I mean if he did want out I think it was largely due to the intense criticism he faced for his playoff performances, by both media and fans. He may of wanted a less chaotic city when it came to hockey. Right or wrong, he has put in the necessary time to be able to make that decision for himself. I really wish management read between the lines.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

From the quotes in that Athletic article, it sounds as though the Jackets were stunned he had any interest in playing there too.

Lol, I think the NHL world is stunned by this. Honestly one of the strangest UFA decisions I ever recall. I think the only people it makes sense to is Gaudreau and his agent.

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by Weitz

“He didn’t pick our team now we attack him personally”

I didn't take it as attacking him personally. Just a simple observation.

Johnny strikes me as a guy who isn't quite as emotionally mature (this is not a hit. I have many friends and family who id say the same thing about and love and respect them dearly). This lack of emotional maturity shaped how he handled this whole process. Whether that was from the start where he didn't want to sign here up until today.

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[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

That he was accusing you of not conducting yourself with dignity, as you just said… not that criticism wasn’t allowed.

There’s definitely some embarrassing criticism among the whole heaping pile of completely fair criticism. It’s all allowed and powderjunkie didn’t say otherwise just… y’know… some people could sound less like what I’m assuming the people who bullied them as pre-teens sounded like.

I’m all aboard the “boo Gaudreau” train though!

(comments removed)

May 18, 2022. This team just got over the 1st round hump, and put up 9 on the coilers to take a 1-0 lead in the battle of Alberta. 4 losses and 56 days later, here we are. It's been a lot to take. And it all happened so fast. You can't blame fans for being somewhat disgruntled right now. The current situation isn't that great, and the future doesn't look all that promising. I will continue to cheer, I will continue to believe, but there's a lot of pain right now. This aint fun right now.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Lol, I think the NHL world is stunned by this. Honestly one of the strangest UFA decisions I ever recall. I think the only people it makes sense to is Gaudreau and his agent.

Even they both took a significant financial hit to move to Ohio.

Nobody pays to move to Ohio.

And nobody pays $18M to move to Ohio.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by manwiches

I truly believe he was confused through this process. To many cooks in the kitchen, and not enough sound advice or anchored advice to take.

I do believe he had the best intentions. But his advisors/agent/circle failed him. Some of you are going to scream "well he's a grown man!". Well yes. But even grown men need support systems and lean on those they trust.

I just think it's a failure from almost every level on this. We will never know truly what he thought. He was already guarded while playing for us, but I am willing to bet he looks back at this moment, and regrets much of how it played out.

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Makes you wonder. Johnny seems like a very loyal person and to leave all his friends his team for an unknown seems odd. This especially since he did not arrive closer to home. It is quite posible this situation is not one that Johnny wanted. Heck he and Mony are close buddies so this is confusing.

[mile]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1547396043662397447

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by Locke

Even they both took a significant financial hit to move to Ohio.

Nobody pays to move to Ohio.

And nobody pays $18M to move to Ohio.

Unless you're LeBron.... Right?!?? Right?!?!

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