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

[Mull]

Johnny has “FU” money - $11M is a lot for sure but not likely to actually impact him in his life.

We may want to think he will regret it but life isn’t about money. Location matter to him and his family and he has so much money the $11 million (maybe less after tax difference?) may not impact the rest of his life at all.

Saying he will regret it just seems like sour grapes from flames fans to be honest. He’s got nearly a hundred million in career expected earnings for goodness sakes!

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

He got 6 points and 27 shots in 5 games that series. Doesn't seem like a guy who wasn't trying. He had a lot of good shots that got stopped in that series

After game one he wasn't doing much...when it wasn't river hockey he threw in the towel.

Series isn't all on him but he doesn't seem like a guy who will do whatever it takes. Nobody is signing with Columbus if winning is a priority...their D and goaltending is ridiculously bad, the two things that give a middling team a chance.

[CliffFletcher]

Gaudreau wanted to play in the NE USA for travel and family reasons.

He thought 4-5 teams that met the criteria, including his preferred choice, would make offers.

The flat cap meant only two teams made offers.

He accepted one of them. Why CBJ over NJ? We don’t have all the details of NJ’s offer, but there was word it didn’t offer the same NMC that CBJ gave him. Maybe that was it. Who knows.

I don’t see a big mystery, or any reason to hate on the guy.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

He wasn't chilling against the Oilers. and if he didn't want to be in the playoffs why would he score that goal in OT against the Stars.

His words

There is a difference between wanting to win and hating to lose so bad you would do anything. I'm not suggesting he was throwing games.

Signing in CBJ proves winning is low on his list...as do recent interviews. That's fine is he doesn't want the pressure and just wants to pad regular season stats but with hindsight I'm glad my team isn't being led by a guy like that. Realistic or not Huberdeau is out there talking about getting Lindholm 50 goals and winning cups.

[mile]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1559653164093095936

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by mile

https://twitter.com/user/status/1559653164093095936

"Haha you ####ing idiot. Columbus? I'm gonna throw you in this pool."

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

After game one he wasn't doing much...when it wasn't river hockey he threw in the towel.

Series isn't all on him but he doesn't seem like a guy who will do whatever it takes. Nobody is signing with Columbus if winning is a priority...their D and goaltending is ridiculously bad, the two things that give a middling team a chance.

He didn't throw in the towel.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by roberts10

He mentioned why it wasn’t the Devils in the Spittin Chiclets podcast. He has an open door policy at his house for all his friends/family. He said by being that close to everyone he thought it would be too much to deal with throughout an entire season especially with a baby on the way.

That is among the single dumbest things I have ever heard.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by dino7c

After game one he wasn't doing much...when it wasn't river hockey he threw in the towel.

Series isn't all on him but he doesn't seem like a guy who will do whatever it takes. Nobody is signing with Columbus if winning is a priority...their D and goaltending is ridiculously bad, the two things that give a middling team a chance.

Elvis was excellent in the previous 2 seasons...last year he struggled to carry a heavier load. He's only 28 and has lots of prime years to come. Tarasov is a super promising 22 yo, though he had hip surgery middle of last season.

D is definitely a question mark, but they've got some really promising young pieces:

Boqvist
Bean
Jiricek
Mateychuk
Ceulemans

There could easily be a stud and a couple solid middle pair guys in there.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I still think Columbus is a bubble-team right now. I think they are underrated when it comes to forwards, but there is no overlooking that defence, and the questionable goaltending behind the defence. Can they make the playoffs? Sure, but it is the defence and goaltending that has to get it together. I think Columbus will score enough, I just don't think they will be able to defend well enough, unless their forwards all commit to playing defence (hi Laine!).


Is Columbus a 'destination' now with Gaudreau there? I do think that Gaudreau has moved the proverbial needle so to speak, but really barely. Nobody is really lining up to have a chance to play with McDavid in another unattractive market. Nobody was really lining up here to play with Gaudreau when he was here. Nobody was lining up in Columbus to play with Nash when he was a superstar.


Columbus is one of those markets that reclamation projects choose just because it is better than a few alternatives. They can be a destination if they win (I don't think they will win enough to make themselves a destination). If they win 2 or 3 cups in the next 3 or 4 years (cough yeah right! cough), then they will get undoubtedly be a much more attractive place to play. They won't attract everyone - not everyone is willing to chase the cup and prioritize other things after all - but they will get more players wanting to play there.


I still don't see Columbus as a destination. I have always thought that Gaudreau was a 'top 5 skill player' in the league for a number of years, but unless your name was Gretzky or Lemieux, nobody is going to want to relocate to an otherwise unattractive destination to play with you (just ask McDavid).

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Gaudreau wanted to play in the NE USA for travel and family reasons.

He thought 4-5 teams that met the criteria, including his preferred choice, would make offers.

The flat cap meant only two teams made offers.

He accepted one of them. Why CBJ over NJ? We don’t have all the details of NJ’s offer, but there was word it didn’t offer the same NMC that CBJ gave him. Maybe that was it. Who knows.

I don’t see a big mystery, or any reason to hate on the guy.

Because dicking the Flames around until 11:59?

All the stuff above is fine. Thats not the issue. That was not communicated to the Flames, who thought they had an extension when they met Gaudreau/Gross' ultimatum.

That's ####y treatment of your long time team and if we weren't saved by that Florida miracle, we could very well be sitting here after Gaudreau put us into a rebuild.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Because dicking the Flames around until 11:59?

All the stuff above is fine. Thats not the issue. That was not communicated to the Flames, who thought they had an extension when they met Gaudreau/Gross' ultimatum.

That's ####y treatment of your long time team and if we weren't saved by that Florida miracle, we could very well be sitting here after Gaudreau put us into a rebuild.

Have you read the Steinberg article recently posted? There has been absolutely no substantiation of an ultimatum/reneg, and the fact that the parties talked again after UFA started dispels the notion that Johnny's side did anything to really burn the bridge.

The day before 2022 free agency opened was perhaps the wildest day I’ve ever covered. It started with intel that Gaudreau’s camp had put a counteroffer on the table, either on Monday night or Tuesday morning. I’m not exactly certain what that counter looked like, but it came in higher than where the Flames were and set a ceiling for in intense day of negotiations.

Then the grind began. As Tuesday afternoon went along, Calgary and Gaudreau’s camp moved closer and closer to common ground.

...

The Flames, and many around the league, believed Gaudreau was ready to sign an eight-year deal at $10.5 million annually. I’m not sure if there was a verbal agreement or not, but Calgary thought a new deal was going to happen.

A short time later, however, Gaudreau informed Calgary with his final decision: he was going to test free agency.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Locke

That is among the single dumbest things I have ever heard.

And another reason to think we dodged a bullet and good riddance. I think we'll have way more a competitor in Huberdeau.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I still think Columbus is a bubble-team right now. I think they are underrated when it comes to forwards, but there is no overlooking that defence, and the questionable goaltending behind the defence. Can they make the playoffs? Sure, but it is the defence and goaltending that has to get it together. I think Columbus will score enough, I just don't think they will be able to defend well enough, unless their forwards all commit to playing defence (hi Laine!).


Is Columbus a 'destination' now with Gaudreau there? I do think that Gaudreau has moved the proverbial needle so to speak, but really barely. Nobody is really lining up to have a chance to play with McDavid in another unattractive market. Nobody was really lining up here to play with Gaudreau when he was here. Nobody was lining up in Columbus to play with Nash when he was a superstar.


Columbus is one of those markets that reclamation projects choose just because it is better than a few alternatives. They can be a destination if they win (I don't think they will win enough to make themselves a destination). If they win 2 or 3 cups in the next 3 or 4 years (cough yeah right! cough), then they will get undoubtedly be a much more attractive place to play. They won't attract everyone - not everyone is willing to chase the cup and prioritize other things after all - but they will get more players wanting to play there.


I still don't see Columbus as a destination. I have always thought that Gaudreau was a 'top 5 skill player' in the league for a number of years, but unless your name was Gretzky or Lemieux, nobody is going to want to relocate to an otherwise unattractive destination to play with you (just ask McDavid).

Explain to me besides maybe Philadelphia, teams that Columbus is better than in the East to be a bubble team.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Explain to me besides maybe Philadelphia, teams that Columbus is better than in the East to be a bubble team.

IMO

Tier 1
TB
PIT
TOR
CAR
FLA
NYR

Tier 2
WSH
BOS

Tier 3
CLB
NJD
PHI
DET
MON
OTT
NYI
BUF


Can CLB compete with either of BOS or WSH? I don’t think it’s that far fetched. Both of the latter are old and have injury problems. CLB has a lot of fantastic young talent.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Explain to me besides maybe Philadelphia, teams that Columbus is better than in the East to be a bubble team.

Sure. Last season Columbus finished 10th. Did they get worse or better?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Elvis was excellent in the previous 2 seasons...last year he struggled to carry a heavier load. He's only 28 and has lots of prime years to come. Tarasov is a super promising 22 yo, though he had hip surgery middle of last season.

D is definitely a question mark, but they've got some really promising young pieces:

Boqvist
Bean
Jiricek
Mateychuk
Ceulemans

There could easily be a stud and a couple solid middle pair guys in there.

Lol sounds convincing

They ####ing suck

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Sure. Last season Columbus finished 10th. Did they get worse or better?

Sens improved far more...also, 9th 10th is the worst possible finish

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Sure. Last season Columbus finished 10th. Did they get worse or better?

Last year Columbus finished 19 points behind the second wild card. Did they get 20 points better?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Last year Columbus finished 19 points behind the second wild card. Did they get 20 points better?

And/or did their direct competition get worse?