Would you Boo Gaudreau or Cheer Gaudreau on Jan 23rd?

[Goriders]

He was probably the most exciting Flame I’ve ever seen. Similar to Fleury. He earned his right to go where he wanted. He chose standard of living for his family it would seem.

I didn’t understand his decision. It was disappointing. But not to the point I would bother booing him. I’ve honestly forgotten about him. Until I saw the thread.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

The talk that the Flames should have been ready to fork over $9.5x8 after 2.5 years of Johnny playing at a 69pt pace over 82 games just didn’t make sense until he had the season he did in his career year. Not only did he break 100pts for the first time but he broke 40 goals and played a strong 2 way game. The ability to play on both sides of the puck is something we didn’t see at all until his contract year. We saw a streaky score who could play at elite levels at times but seemed to get pushed around in the playoffs and not until he was paired with Lindholm and Tkachuk did he show his ability to play a complete game and be worth the massive investment

Again, I don’t know why numbers like this are constantly being thrown out there. How do we know Gaudreau wouldn’t have signed at $8M? He was afterall coming off of a couple down seasons as everyone keeps saying?

Management has to be able to look past the numbers sometimes, that’s what you hire pro scouts and professionals who can properly forecast. If it just always comes dow to the numbers, then are these guys any better than the numbers obsessed CP posters? Might as well just hire some people on here then.

If it was me, I would’ve signed Gaudreau and wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Just watching him play, you can tell he’s one of the most talented players in the league similar to a Patrick Kane lite. He can make something out of nothing, he can create his own shot, he can back up the opposition, he can gain and enter the zone as well as anyone else in the league and etc. These are tough traits to find in this cookie cutter league.

So even if there was slight overpayment at the time, that would have been fine because at least I know I’m paying for an elite skillset who can drive play instead of constantly overpaying for complimentary players like this organization seems to love doing.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Yeah some posters have convenient amnesia

Summer before last we were told this was a terrible bottom 5 team by many.

An 8x9 for Gaudreau wouldn't have gone over well at all...and if they did give him that would he have had the career year?

He seems to be back to an 80 point player who won't play D

He would’ve had 100+ points regardless of contract because he was finally playing with players up to his level. Gaudreau isn’t a generational talent like Connor McDavid who can score at will, Gaudreau was a 4th round pick for a reason. He has some deficiencies is his game, but once you pair him up with a player who can hold his own so the opposition defense can’t just consistently double team him, then his abilities can open up and blossom. That’s more so on management for not finding proper help/depth. The Troy Brouwer’s, James Neal’s, Josh Leivo’s and etc were never good solutions.

Also, you defend as a 5 man unit in hockey, any single player will fail if the inherent system and roster isn’t up to par. Even McDavid/Draisaitl combo wasn’t able to pull the Oilers out of the abyss until the overall team improved. I’m actually surprised he’s been put up the points he has with the roster he has around him. The #2 scorer on Columbus is basically producing like Adam Ruzicka right now.

[FanIn80]

I think a better response to treat him just like any other visiting player. Completely indifferently. Zero attention at all.

[iggy_oi]

Maybe the fans should just laugh obnoxiously loud every time he touches the puck

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

He would’ve had 100+ points regardless of contract because he was finally playing with players up to his level. Gaudreau isn’t a generational talent like Connor McDavid who can score at will, Gaudreau was a 4th round pick for a reason. He has some deficiencies is his game, but once you pair him up with a player who can hold his own so the opposition defense can’t just consistently double team him, then his abilities can open up and blossom. That’s more so on management for not finding proper help/depth. The Troy Brouwer’s, James Neal’s, Josh Leivo’s and etc were never good solutions.

Also, you defend as a 5 man unit in hockey, any single player will fail if the inherent system and roster isn’t up to par. Even McDavid/Draisaitl combo wasn’t able to pull the Oilers out of the abyss until the overall team improved. I’m actually surprised he’s been put up the points he has with the roster he has around him. The #2 scorer on Columbus is basically producing like Adam Ruzicka right now.

okay so his best season ever by a mile just happened to be in a contract year where he was about to be UFA

what luck, he played plenty with Lindholm and Monahan before...wasn't like his entire career was Brouwer and Neal. Heck Neal played 63 games in Calgary.

And if you actually watch him play this season he is floating like the old days...sure he won't be +64 on CBJ but he isn't even trying hard to defend

[Paulie Walnuts]

He hardly played with Neal one of the reasons Neals threw fits and was a complete loser during his tenure on the Flames. He was outplayed and displaced by Lindholm.

Please explain how Huberdeau with scrubs his entire career has carried them and himself to career years?

If Johnny is such an elite talent he should have raised the play of the bums he played with.

Calling Johnny one of the most gifted players in the NHL is a bit much, gifted players don't disappear for 2.5 years of their career. Is he talented he absolutely he is, but lets not make him out to be something he isn't.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by dino7c

okay so his best season ever by a mile just happened to be in a contract year where he was about to be UFA

what luck, he played plenty with Lindholm and Monahan before...wasn't like his entire career was Brouwer and Neal. Heck Neal played 63 games in Calgary.

And if you actually watch him play this season he is floating like the old days...sure he won't be +64 on CBJ but he isn't even trying hard to defend

and that 99 point season was nothing to you? How about that 17-18 season where he factored in on nearly 40% of the team's overall offensive output? I mean, these weren't contract years. For a lot of Gaudreau's tenure with the Flames, he was the offense.

My point in naming those players was mostly to underline the lack of support management had given Gaudreau through out his time with this organization. Every year it was some new mediocre guy they strapped him to like Alex Chiasson, Troy Brouwer, James Neal, Dominic Simon, Josh Leivo and etc. Also, I was never that big on Monahan either. They ultimately did find a fit with Lindholm even though that was by accident and that proved to be the most successful of the bunch. But it wasn't until basically the last year of his contract that they finally found the ideal fit with him and Tkachuk, which by that point was too late because we ended up getting one playoff run out of that duo.

Lastly, I don't watch Gaudreau play anymore. So I don't have an opinion about the way he's playing in Columbus. But looking at the way Erik Gubdranson's game has gone straight into the ground tells me a lot about the Blue Jackets this season. He was as steady as it gets here and now looks like complete trash down there. I think it's fair to say it's more so the team rather than using specious reasoning and just pointing at individual players.

[dino7c]

Seems unlikely to me he would have had 115 points and a +64 had he not been in a contract year but instead on a 8x9M contract is all I am saying.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Seems unlikely to me he would have had 115 points and a +64 had he not been in a contract year but instead on a 8x9M contract is all I am saying.

Why? We saw the uptick with all three players when Darryl put that line together at the end of the prior season. Markstrom put together his career season last year in a non-contract year. Seems like that line was a perfect fit on a team that just put things together all season from top to bottom. I don't understand your obsession with discrediting Gaudreau and Tkachuk. Looks petty.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Again, I don’t know why numbers like this are constantly being thrown out there. How do we know Gaudreau wouldn’t have signed at $8M? He was afterall coming off of a couple down seasons as everyone keeps saying?

Management has to be able to look past the numbers sometimes, that’s what you hire pro scouts and professionals who can properly forecast. If it just always comes dow to the numbers, then are these guys any better than the numbers obsessed CP posters? Might as well just hire some people on here then.

If it was me, I would’ve signed Gaudreau and wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Just watching him play, you can tell he’s one of the most talented players in the league similar to a Patrick Kane lite. He can make something out of nothing, he can create his own shot, he can back up the opposition, he can gain and enter the zone as well as anyone else in the league and etc. These are tough traits to find in this cookie cutter league.

So even if there was slight overpayment at the time, that would have been fine because at least I know I’m paying for an elite skillset who can drive play instead of constantly overpaying for complimentary players like this organization seems to love doing.

I don’t think there is a chance in hell Johnny signed for 8x8 and speculating as much is laughable. If they wanted to keep him the year out he would have needed to be paid as one of the top wingers in the game. Very easy to say after Johnny goes for a career season playing a style he never showed an ability or desire to play before. He had 19pts in 30 playoff games before last season and was shown to be pushed around and easily neutralized in past playoffs before he had a nice run last year.

Regardless if he really wanted to stay then why turn down $84M when it was offered?

I do agree with you on the overpayment of complimentary players has been a huge flaw in the organization.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I don’t think there is a chance in hell Johnny signed for 8x8 and speculating as much is laughable. If they wanted to keep him the year out he would have needed to be paid as one of the top wingers in the game. Very easy to say after Johnny goes for a career season playing a style he never showed an ability or desire to play before. He had 19pts in 30 playoff games before last season and was shown to be pushed around and easily neutralized in past playoffs before he had a nice run last year.

Regardless if he really wanted to stay then why turn down $84M when it was offered?

I do agree with you on the overpayment of complimentary players has been a huge flaw in the organization.

The number I threw out there is just as valid as all the other ridiculous numbers everyone else is speculating with. Truthfully, nobody knows the real number, but it’s not stopping everyone from throwing out random high cap hits and saying he wouldn’t be worth that because he was coming off a bad year.

Also, your second point kind of answers the point I’m trying to make anyway. Johnny was never about the money, it was never his primary motivating factor, his family was. His mom pretty much all but confirmed this in the podcast she did recently and based on what I’ve seen and heard, Gaudreau doesn’t come across as a greedy, money hungry mercenary out for every last dime.

[memphusk]

Start calling him donkey.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Why? We saw the uptick with all three players when Darryl put that line together at the end of the prior season. Markstrom put together his career season last year in a non-contract year. Seems like that line was a perfect fit on a team that just put things together all season from top to bottom. I don't understand your obsession with discrediting Gaudreau and Tkachuk. Looks petty.

You act like this has never happened in sports before...I am not discrediting anything, players often have monster years before they go UFA

Gaudreau has the big fat contract now and is coasting out there

call me petty all you want, plenty of people around the hockey world think Gaudreau went to Columbus so he could cash a check and chill. I think his current coach might think so.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I reject the premise of the question in the thread title.

Why would I ever limit myself to only booing him on jan 23rd? What about Jan 22nd or 24th? What about Feb 11? March 9th? August 27th? All perfectly good days for booing.

Hell, I’m booing the ####ing guy right now. I probably will again tomorrow. And the day after that.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

The number I threw out there is just as valid as all the other ridiculous numbers everyone else is speculating with. Truthfully, nobody knows the real number, but it’s not stopping everyone from throwing out random high cap hits and saying he wouldn’t be worth that because he was coming off a bad year.

Also, your second point kind of answers the point I’m trying to make anyway. Johnny was never about the money, it was never his primary motivating factor, his family was. His mom pretty much all but confirmed this in the podcast she did recently and based on what I’ve seen and heard, Gaudreau doesn’t come across as a greedy, money hungry mercenary out for every last dime.

Just think critically about it. Why would Johnny sign a year out of free agency for anything more than what other highly paid wingers were signing for? Kucherov, Mark Stone were examples of guys who signed in the previous couple of years and $9.5M seemed to be the going rate. If he wasn’t being offered something in that range there wasn’t a ton of incentive to sign. The Flames didn’t offer that a year out so he bet on himself and cashed in.

If he was all about family he was never serious about signing here anyway. I do believe he was torn when he made his mind up and he got so close to seeing what was out there and he decided to test the market. I do think if the Flames offered him a deal in line with Stone/Kucherov he would have signed in 2021 but I also don’t think he had earned it after some subpar years.

You are right that none of us really know the number Johnny would have agreed to but it is fair to say it would have needed to be worth his while to avoid betting on himself which logically would be a deal in line with the more recent high end winger.

You had a take that said the Flames should have done what it took to sign Johnny in the summer of 2021. He was coming off 150 games of less than ppg play and 2 playoff appearances that resulted in 8pts in 15 games and the team massively underachieved in the season before the last year of his contract.

[Sec214]

Does anyone else just BOOOOO at the TV when they see anything JG/Columbus related.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Start calling him donkey.

"Johnny Donkey!"

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Just think critically about it. Why would Johnny sign a year out of free agency for anything more than what other highly paid wingers were signing for? Kucherov, Mark Stone were examples of guys who signed in the previous couple of years and $9.5M seemed to be the going rate. If he wasn’t being offered something in that range there wasn’t a ton of incentive to sign. The Flames didn’t offer that a year out so he bet on himself and cashed in.

If he was all about family he was never serious about signing here anyway. I do believe he was torn when he made his mind up and he got so close to seeing what was out there and he decided to test the market. I do think if the Flames offered him a deal in line with Stone/Kucherov he would have signed in 2021 but I also don’t think he had earned it after some subpar years.

You are right that none of us really know the number Johnny would have agreed to but it is fair to say it would have needed to be worth his while to avoid betting on himself which logically would be a deal in line with the more recent high end winger.

You had a take that said the Flames should have done what it took to sign Johnny in the summer of 2021. He was coming off 150 games of less than ppg play and 2 playoff appearances that resulted in 8pts in 15 games and the team massively underachieved in the season before the last year of his contract.

Again, we don't know the number, it's all speculation and it's getting annoying constantly talking about a number we cannot confirm. I know for myself, I stated that offseason that I would've been comfortable with something in the $9M range anyway, so it's obvious I would've been the outlier here in CP.

Secondly, my opinion on the matter is that Johnny was interested in re-signing with the Flames throughout his entire tenure with the Flames, that never changed and his family all but confirmed this. But in 2021, he was a newly wed at the time, so maybe his wife was more open to it at the time. But things change over time, she spent the winter here in the praries, saw what life was like away from her hometown, away from friends, she became pregnant and ultimately wanted to head back. Everyone has their own opinion, but this is my personal take on the matter and believe it or not, this was a fear I had back in the offseason of 2021, so it was just another reason why I wanted the deal to be done.

Lastly, as I've said before, the previous stats mattered less to me. I knew he was going to have a dynamite 21-22 season and why I predicated 100+ points from him. I don't look at stats first and foremost when I judge players, I watch and critic their games. It's the right way to go about it because stats can fluctuate so much season to season. Even with a guy like Huberdeau, I knew he was coming off of 115 points. But after watching a couple of his previous games and looking at him critically, I had serious concerns last summer about whether he'd fit here. Sometimes, stats mislead and which is why numbers are not the be all end all for me.

[Manhattanboy]

What a debacle.