[Rumour] UPD: Friedman: Thinks a deal will get done between Gaudreau and the Flames in the next week

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by OmegaV4

Says the Gaudreau camp was upset with the Eric Francis story about him asking for $8M+.

Thanks a lot Francis, you idiot.

It won't have an impact on anything except for lowering Johnny's opinion of Francis. It was probably just a matter of time on that one...

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by heep223

- he said a few times that the Flames feel that their deal is more than fair given that they are offering the highest contract ever awarded to a player in Gaudreau's position, ie. a player with 0 negotiating leverage, which he thinks is why they're being so hard lined about it.

I heard this said before, but it really means nothing without context. First, barring a financial downturn that sees salaries and the cap decrease significantly, that number is always going to go up. And Second, who are those other players, when were their negotiations, and how do they compare to JG?

[GirlySports]

6.99!!! come on!

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I'm not saying he is or he isn't, just that sitting out makes you look greedy. IMO.

How so? He's a player who wants his fair share. When you applied at your job did you just take what they were offering you even if you thought it was a little low?

An extra $3-4 million over a contract of 8 years can build him his dream house or set up his family to live comfortable for quite a while. I don't see that as greedy especially since he hasn't even missed a game yet. He's just trying to maximize his earnings. I would do the exact same thing. That's still a lot of money even to someone who is likely going to make close to $80 million over his career.

Having an extra $500,000 a year isn't nothing and I'd fight for that too. It's a negotiation for both sides, nothing greedy about it.

[EldrickOnIce]

- further to that point, which I thought was really interesting, he thinks the Flames are being pressured from outside (read: other teams) to not cave and give a $7.5M+ deal, because this is the one corner of the CBA that teams have fought hard for over the years.

And I suppose also must assume there is pressure on Grossman from fellow agents and the NHLPA to make this a really big win for their side.
And I expect Gaudreau has been caught in the middle, and just wants to play hockey.
And I expect it will take him to end it without holdout, by putting his foot down and taking a fair deal.

[OmegaV4]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

It won't have an impact on anything except for lowering Johnny's opinion of Francis. It was probably just a matter of time on that one...

Yea, I suppose you are technically correct. The best kind of correct.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

Rhett talked about how he ended up negotiating 2 of his contracts himself including one in Buffalo where he didn't sign until November (although he was out with an injury anyways). Basically said as 20 something year old you just figure they know what they're doing but sometimes you're kept in the dark and don't actually know how things are going

I have listened to stories on athletes who have gone broke. The common thing I hear is that their whole life everything was done for them so they can focus on hockey they become basically useless outside the rink. Their whole life everything was managed for them, parents drive them to the rink, manage their bank account, tell them where to be and when.

I can totally see what Rhett is saying. Who knows if this is the agent just telling him what to do, his parents, etc. or him asking for the big payday. He may have been told, look this is your agent, he'll take care of you. Don't read the papers, because they lie. Listen to him and he does.

This is all speculation of course, but could be more a battle of the agent vs the team and league. JG maybe caught in the middle. Just told to go home and let this all play out, they'll tell him when to show up and when.

Kind of scary to think about but that is why a bunch of these guys go broke. They get out of hockey and have a pile of cash and no idea what to do next. Anyways, that is for another thread. Hopefully this does get done soon.

[JerryUnderscore]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Well, they did it intentionally in the sense that it is a perk (a benefit to Gaudreau) and they offered it up in order to have him sign earlier.

But it was not intentional in the sense that it has put us where we are now.

Hind sight is 20/20

You have to remember that NO ONE could have anticipated that Gaudreau's first two years would be that successful.

Not the Flames, and not Johnny.

If they had, then Johnny should fire his agent for not anticipating this.

But the truth is that no one could have and it simply is what it is.

No one in the organization even considered it as an ancillary benefit that if Gaudreau breaks out that burning that first year gives them exclusive negotiating rights?

If (and this is pure speculation) they saw that as an additional benefit to the organization, I wouldn't really have a problem with that. They're still going to give Johnny the biggest 10(2) contract ever, which is more than fair.

[Flash Walken]

When Friedman says the team is being pressured from outside make no mistake that what he means is team owners are putting pressure on the team owners of the Flames.

This is a salvo in the pending CBA negotiation and Murray Edwards as a hardline owner is on the hotseat.

[Freeway]

The Flames are also right up against the cap, so there are several internal pressures as well.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by JerryUnderscore

No one in the organization even considered it as an ancillary benefit that if Gaudreau breaks out that burning that first year gives them exclusive negotiating rights?

If (and this is pure speculation) they saw that as an additional benefit to the organization, I wouldn't really have a problem with that. They're still going to give Johnny the biggest 10(2) contract ever, which is more than fair.

Two years ago, both sides would have been anticipating a bridge deal, or an otherwise typical 2nd year player deal of some kind.

The only reason we are even hearing about this 10(2) status is that Johnny is poised to get the largest contract of any player with that status ever.

[calgaryblood]

And biggest 10(2) contract really means nothing. Has there ever been a player as good as Gaudreau or even close to as good in the similar circumstance?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Friedman also felt that the $8.25M or so ask from Gaudreau's camp was only in response to the offer of (he thinks) $6.4 or so from the Flames camp. He thinks the Flames want the deal to have a 6 handle, and Gaudreau wants it to have a 7 handle.

Time to pull out the old Darryl Sutter move from the Ian White contract and give him $6,999,995.00.

[JerryUnderscore]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Two years ago, both sides would have been anticipating a bridge deal, or an otherwise typical 2nd year player deal of some kind.

The only reason we are even hearing about this 10(2) status is that Johnny is poised to get the largest contract of any player with that status ever.

Maybe. But considering he has stepped up his game at every level along the way, it wouldn't surprise me if someone in the Flames organization poised the question "What's the plan if he does it again?"

Either way, regardless of how we got here, the reality is that Gaudreau is in a unique position. As others have said this is probably much less about him and his specific contract and more about the NHL vs the PA going forward.

It makes you kind of feel bad for him.

[steveo]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

And I suppose also must assume there is pressure on Grossman from fellow agents and the NHLPA to make this a really big win for their side.
And I expect Gaudreau has been caught in the middle, and just wants to play hockey.
And I expect it will take him to end it without holdout, by putting his foot down and taking a fair deal.

I don't remember exactly what Elliot said but he said that might not be the case because of the escrow payments. Someone who heard it more clearly/knows more about the money stuff can probably explain better than what I just said though

[Isikiz]

This will be a contract that will set a precedence for future cases of star 10(2) players. A 10(2) contract player should be making less than players of similar caliber that are RFAs (i.e. Tarasenko, Ekblad) if they are negotiating based on leverage. While Gaudreau is a better player than Tarasenko, I think he should still make less based off of what Friedman is saying.

With that in mind, I think we'll see a contract somewhere between $6.8M-$7.2M x 8 years.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by steveo

I don't remember exactly what Elliot said but he said that might not be the case because of the escrow payments. Someone who heard it more clearly/knows more about the money stuff can probably explain better than what I just said though

He said that since the cap era and particularly the latest iteration of the CBA was introduced, meaning that hockey related revenues are split equally between the NHL and the players (and escrow is the vehicle through which this is done), it's not so simple anymore as just "the NHLPA/players/agents want the biggest possible deal" as it used to be.

[Flaming Choy]

So is the pressure to "not setting precedence/inflating salary for no-rights players" sort of similar to not going "full-Oilers" and inflate the second contract value ala the Penner offersheet inflating RFA contracts?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by heep223

He said that since the cap era and particularly the latest iteration of the CBA was introduced, meaning that hockey related revenues are split equally between the NHL and the players (and escrow is the vehicle through which this is done), it's not so simple anymore as just "the NHLPA/players/agents want the biggest possible deal" as it used to be.

Yeah, there isn't really any reason for the PA to push players to push for the biggest paydays anymore. Players getting more in their contract likely means that everyone else is going to take a small hit down due to escrow.

(The more teams that are above the cap midpoint, and the further from the midpoint that they are, the more that every players contract is reduced from its "stated" value.)

So, the PA wouldn't really be pushing JG to get as much on his contract as he can.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

It won't have an impact on anything except for lowering Johnny's opinion of Francis. It was probably just a matter of time on that one...

So does being upset imply it's not true? I would believe it's not true, but if he's upset and it's true, then I'd question that logic.

The real reason I think this gets done soon is Gio TBH. I know people question the Gio cap as a rule, and I do too, but its gotta be pretty tough not to respect the hell out of that guy. If I'm Jonny's parents, I'd be thrilled to have my kid learning how to be a pro from that guy.

Gio had bad reports about his requests, and those reports made Gio look bad to many. Right there, he's got someone to talk to. How do you sit across the room from the guy who won the humanitarian award of the league and took a discounted contract and not say, you know what, it's time to play hockey? We all know that Jonny is a good man and his parents who are influential are also good and want what's best for him. We all know what is best for him is here. Gross told Jonny and his family, give me the time and trust to get you the best longterm deal possible. There is no doubt in my mind that his time is running out and Jonny is about to take this thing over.