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

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

No way he says that without checking in with the organization first. Wow...this is savage

No chance Eric Francis checked with the organization.

He spent the last 4 years trying to run Gaudreau out of town...of course he was going to take the opportunity to blast him every chance he gets now on his way out.

Not saying he's wrong either though. Gaudreau looked unprepared in that press conference and his answers should have shown more respect to the fans and organization.

[johnnyhockey13]

I was told she wants to volunteer etc. Honestly this happened believe it or not, it just crazy that the chances of this meeting. I was fine dealing with it since I was at a resort in +34 weather

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by troutman

I went back to Ohio
But my pretty countryside
Had been paved down the middle
By a government that had no pride

Johnny’s a Pretender.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by PuckDemon

I kinda believe you, but the bit about the childrens hospital doesn't make any sense. You said she wasn't planning to work anymore.

Maybe because they are having their first child, they would be able to rely on a great pediatric hospital - not that she intended to work there as a new grad.

[johnnyhockey13]

Believe me or not that ur choice. I am a avid reader that doesn’t post. Season ticket holder as well. Someone really sick in the head would make this story up and post it lol

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by GS Skier

Exactly why would he not get the Tavares treatment? I think the seat paying fans who are unhappy with this should display the same loyalty to Johnny mommas boy as he has to his former fans and the city.

When the "Tribute" goes on fans can choose to turn their backs on him the same way he did us. I expect lots of Boos because people love a villian, they love to boo Fox and everyone likes to boo Bettman.

He made his bed he can sleep in it. He owes us nothing we owe him nothing either.

Oh I agree, and I'd be one of the people booing if I were there. But just look at this thread: it's gone from mostly anger towards Johnny on the day of the announcement, to mostly apologist and acceptance towards him by today.

Keep in mind there's a lot of STHers on this site, so I see this place as a sample size of what a Dome crowd reaction would be like. It just doesn't feel like the same level of vitriol towards him that Tavares had. So I'm expecting a mixed reaction from the Dome, even if most people at bars and their living rooms are booing. But we'll see.

[PuckDemon]

Originally Posted by johnnyhockey13

Believe me or not that ur choice. I am a avid reader that doesn’t post. Season ticket holder as well. Someone really sick in the head would make this story up and post it lol

Your story actually makes a lot of sense. Did they comment at all about what went wrong with the negotiations with Calgary? Definitely seems like some bad blood there.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I honestly don’t think it’s as complicated as people want to believe.

1) For personal and family reasons, he only wanted to play in the Eastern U.S.

2) He knew from back channels that several teams in the region were interested. So he went to market.

3) Two of those teams (including his likely preferred destination) couldn’t clear the cap space.

4) Of the remaining two teams, he went with the one that offered the biggest contract.

That’s it.

As for the competitiveness of the Blue Jackets, that’s rarely a consideration in free agency. Were the Wings the best team to offer Copp a contract? Doubt it. Was Seattle the most competitive roster that offered Burokovsky a contract? Will Klingberg wind up on a contender? Mason Marchment was very close to a deal with Carolina. Then the Stars offered him a little more money, so he signed there, even though the Hurricanes clearly have a better shot at a championship.

Look at last year. Grubauer signed with the Kraken. Hamilton with the Devils. Danault chose LA’s offer. Three of the biggest free agents all went to non-playoff teams. That’s the norm.

So why string Calgary along then?

I don’t think anybody reacts nearly as badly to this if he didn’t spurn us in the 11th hour.

If he decided before the draft that he was leaving, his decision would be much more widely respected

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by johnnyhockey13

Believe me or not that ur choice. I am a avid reader that doesn’t post. Season ticket holder as well. Someone really sick in the head would make this story up and post it lol

It is a crazy coincidence to believe but yours is the most sensible and believable story out of all of them. Enjoy your vacation!

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by flamesrule_kipper34

Savage.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1547696831798292486

Francis is mad he has to find a new player to scapegoat

[Locke]

Originally Posted by johnnyhockey13

Believe me or not that ur choice. I am a avid reader that doesn’t post. Season ticket holder as well. Someone really sick in the head would make this story up and post it lol

You're just coming in at an inopportune moment. People right now have no idea what to believe because so many of the pieces dont fit together and the entire narrative doesnt make a lot of sense.

This understandably has people frustrated and confused.

We've just got to let the furor die down a little and move along.

You shared what you know. People can take that at whatever value they want to attribute to it and you dont have to worry about that. Its just another piece of the puzzle that doesnt fit all that well.

Welcome to the party.

[dino7c]

There wasn't much Gaudreau anger at all until we realized he strung the team along and went to a terrible team that wasn't home and for way less money
now he is such a coward he is acting like the Flames don't exist at all

Guy had no intention in signing here ever, used the Flames to get a big offer elsewhere
The lack of interest around the league for the leagues #2 scorer is kinda telling though...with hindsight its probably a good thing they didn't give 10.5x8 to a guy who cares so little about winning

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

So why string Calgary along then?



I don’t think anybody reacts nearly as badly to this if he didn’t spurn us in the 11th hour.



If he decided before the draft that he was leaving, his decision would be much more widely respected

Why not? It's not like there was a trade Calgary could have made.

Which GM is going to give up an asset for his rights when he could get Johnny for free.

[Yamer]

I can't help but wonder if Gaudreau, after an intense whirlwind few hours, days, and weeks, finally came up for air after the signing, shocked to find overwhelming confusion and disdain from the hockey community and fans, particularly in Calgary.

It would help explain why he seemed so flustered at the press conference and his stumbled words about Calgary and the Flames. It would also help explain why - approaching 24 hours after the signing and nearly 48 hours after he informed management he wasn't coming back - he has avoided directly thanking and expressing gratitude to the city, management, and fans. The responses his sister and wife received on social media after their posts were notably toxic.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Francis is mad he has to find a new player to scapegoat

Naw...Francis has all of the players' names in a Yahtzee cup, he just has to shake it and pick.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Which GM is going to give up an asset for his rights when he could get Johnny for free.

Philadelphia, as Calgary could have helped Philly clear the required space to make the move possible. Win-win for both teams.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Why not? It's not like there was a trade Calgary could have made.

Which GM is going to give up an asset for his rights when he could get Johnny for free.

Its not so much what we could do with Johnny but we had the chance to unload Tkachuk and do a mini rebuild at the draft but we could not due to Johnny. There were also some other signings we could have planned for earlier had we known.

Or if Johnny had been clear with Philly, we could have worked with them to make space and get assets back.

[Mr.Coffee]

Flames should offer up #13 and encourage a new young kid to wear it. Borderline force it on some unknown rookie or something.

I don’t really care if he gets cheered, booed, whatever, he is a clown and his handling of this is the antithesis of professional and totally classless. You don’t go about the way he did, just gutless.

Meanwhile it 10000000000% makes sense now, that whole scene with Tkachuk playing the Leafs, getting into that scrum with the puck flip and Gaudreau pretending to have no clue what was going on and skating off and not standing up for his teammate, regardless of what happened. Sutter tried to install that culture but to a person like Johnny it’s probably just so foreign, the concept of a team. No wonder Tkachuk was so pissed. He at least gets what a team is about. God, I hope the Flames don’t forget how this went down and get smarter with Tkachuks negotiation which I’m sure will be 110% strictly business.

That’s what the NHL is. 110% strictly business. No longer about anything else that actually matters.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Yamer

The responses his sister and wife received on social media after their posts were notably toxic.

I stay off social media for this reason and don't want to see things like this but that's horrible to hear.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

Philadelphia, as Calgary could have helped Philly clear the required space to make the move possible. Win-win for both teams.

It sure doesn't seem like Philly was all that interested