The Avalanche are a good reminder that you build a champion team with the draft.

If Gaudreau becomes a free agent, my guess is he signs with the Devils, they have a good young core.

If Gaudreau becomes a free agent, my guess is he signs with the Devils, they have a good young core.
- drogon

Ya the Devils are one of the few teams with cap space & need and its close to home for JG. Tre is backed into a corner on this as if Johnny signs elsewhere there are not a lot of other comparable FA options outside of Forsberg. Its going to be an interesting few weeks leading up to the draft and UFA signing day!

Ya the Devils are one of the few teams with cap space & need and its close to home for JG. Tre is backed into a corner on this as if Johnny signs elsewhere there are not a lot of other comparable FA options outside of Forsberg. Its going to be an interesting few weeks leading up to the draft and UFA signing day!
- DEDDIE

Yeah, very interesting few weeks. I hope Treliving knows about Gaudreau's decision by now. What to do with Tkachuk if he only wants to sign for a year?

Yeah, very interesting few weeks. I hope Treliving knows about Gaudreau's decision by now. What to do with Tkachuk if he only wants to sign for a year?
- drogon

IF JG leaves and Chucky plans to play next year on a 1 year deal and test UFA next summer.... you have to explore trading him at the draft.

The Avalanche are a good reminder that you build a champion team with the draft.
- drogon

Not really. They started this season in the bottom third of teams that had roster players they had drafted, fewer than the Flames. Kadri, Nichushkin, Toews, Lehkonen, Manson, and the goalies were all pretty important to their success.

They're yet another example of how you become a championship team by being really bad during the right years and not drafting Nolan Patrick.

IF JG leaves and Chucky plans to play next year on a 1 year deal and test UFA next summer.... you have to explore trading him at the draft.
- DEDDIE

Gaudreau's not going to leave.

Ya the Devils are one of the few teams with cap space & need and its close to home for JG. Tre is backed into a corner on this as if Johnny signs elsewhere there are not a lot of other comparable FA options outside of Forsberg. Its going to be an interesting few weeks leading up to the draft and UFA signing day!
- DEDDIE

The Devils don't really make sense. They don't have as much space as it seems. They need a goalie to actually be competitive and their defence is a mess. They need a solid top 4 defenceman and the other guys are getting raises after this season.

Sure, they could sign Gaudreau, but it makes everything else harder and probably isn't worth the 10 million a year risk. They're not quite there yet and, especially with the 2nd overall pick, it makes more sense to stay young and take the steady approach to building a juggernaut.

IF JG leaves and Chucky plans to play next year on a 1 year deal and test UFA next summer.... you have to explore trading him at the draft.
- DEDDIE

I agree about Tkachuk. Then, there's Monahan, maybe at the draft too.

Gaudreau's not going to leave.
- Squeaky

I dont think there are a lot of teams that have the CAP space and interest to sign JG but I also dont think its a stretch to believe him & and his new pregnant wife would prefer to be close to home and family.

Lilegren signs for 2 x 1.4 today.... gotta think Kylington is looking for north of that.
I would be shopping him and looking to Mackey or Vali to take his spot on our 3rd pair LD.

I dont think there are a lot of teams that have the CAP space and interest to sign JG but I also dont think its a stretch to believe him & and his new pregnant wife would prefer to be close to home and family.
- DEDDIE

Sure, but they've both raved about living in Calgary and most pregnant hockey wives don't get to live close to home.

I'm fairly confident that Gaudreau is just going to use the official courting period to squeeze a few more dollars out of the Flames. No real motivation to get a deal done before that.

Sure, but they've both raved about living in Calgary and most pregnant hockey wives don't get to live close to home.

I'm fairly confident that Gaudreau is just going to use the official courting period to squeeze a few more dollars out of the Flames. No real motivation to get a deal done before that.
- Squeaky

Disagree, if Johnny intends to sign with the Flames it would have happened by now. There’s absolutely no reason why he would put the Flames through this if he’s loyal to the team. Giving management time to sort out the rest of the contracts is critical.

Johnnys going to sign in New Jersey.
Fire Treliving!

Disagree, if Johnny intends to sign with the Flames it would have happened by now. There’s absolutely no reason why he would put the Flames through this if he’s loyal to the team. Giving management time to sort out the rest of the contracts is critical.

Johnnys going to sign in New Jersey.
Fire Treliving!
- K-man25

Loyalty goes out the window when money is involved. Players aren't going to take less than their worth out of loyalty, especially when teams are never loyal to players. This is a team who exposed their captain a year ago.

The only time there's loyalty in sports in when the teams paying top dollar and the player is performing.

They also have plenty of time for the rest of the contracts. Everyone else is a RFA and Forsberg, Malkin, Kadri, and Letang would never come to Calgary anyway. When Gaudreau signs, they won't have money to spend. If he doesn't sign, they shouldn't be spending money anyway.

Loyalty goes out the window when money is involved. Players aren't going to take less than their worth out of loyalty, especially when teams are never loyal to players. This is a team who exposed their captain a year ago.

The only time there's loyalty in sports in when the teams paying top dollar and the player is performing.

They also have plenty of time for the rest of the contracts. Everyone else is a RFA and Forsberg, Malkin, Kadri, and Letang would never come to Calgary anyway. When Gaudreau signs, they won't have money to spend. If he doesn't sign, they shouldn't be spending money anyway.
- Squeaky

Gudbranson and Zadorov are both ufas Flames need to know what Johnnys intentions are so they can budget for next. If they aren’t spending to the cap then they may as well move on from Tkachuk as well.
As far a Gio goes it was the right move to let him walk, he was captain of this team for many years and they only won 1 round in the playoffs while he sat on the sidelines. Dressing room was in turmoil last year with him as the leader, not blaming him totally but it’s funny how it all changed with him gone.

Gudbranson and Zadorov are both ufas Flames need to know what Johnnys intentions are so they can budget for next. If they aren’t spending to the cap then they may as well move on from Tkachuk as well.
As far a Gio goes it was the right move to let him walk, he was captain of this team for many years and they only won 1 round in the playoffs while he sat on the sidelines. Dressing room was in turmoil last year with him as the leader, not blaming him totally but it’s funny how it all changed with him gone.
- K-man25

Resigning Zadorov and Gudbranson are moves that would sink the team unless neither of them wants a raise or a long-term deal. They're finally free of buyout penalties and only have one more year of Lucic left. Don't screw it up now. Someone will offer Zadorov a long-term deal for too much money and the Flames shouldn't match. Maybe Gudbranson comes back cheap since it's probably the best situation for him hockey-wise. Regardless, they have nothing to do with Gaudreau. You think if Gaudreau moves on, the big move is to overpay Zadorov? I also highly doubt Gaudreau's camp is being all that cagey. If Gaudreau doesn't want to play in Calgary, the Flames probably know that by now.

Not sure what point you're trying to make with Gio. You're just stating what I already said. There's no loyalty from either side in sports. Being loyal to the captain who had almost played almost 1,000 games for the team means not exposing him to an expansion team even if things weren't great. Was it the right move? Probably. Was it loyal? Definitely not. Gaudeau's doing the right thing for him right now, and he should. It still probably ends up in Calgary for the next 8 years, or at least until they have to try and offload his contract to Arizona.

Resigning Zadorov and Gudbranson are moves that would sink the team unless neither of them wants a raise or a long-term deal. They're finally free of buyout penalties and only have one more year of Lucic left. Don't screw it up now. Someone will offer Zadorov a long-term deal for too much money and the Flames shouldn't match. Maybe Gudbranson comes back cheap since it's probably the best situation for him hockey-wise. Regardless, they have nothing to do with Gaudreau. You think if Gaudreau moves on, the big move is to overpay Zadorov? I also highly doubt Gaudreau's camp is being all that cagey. If Gaudreau doesn't want to play in Calgary, the Flames probably know that by now.

Not sure what point you're trying to make with Gio. You're just stating what I already said. There's no loyalty from either side in sports. Being loyal to the captain who had almost played almost 1,000 games for the team means not exposing him to an expansion team even if things weren't great. Was it the right move? Probably. Was it loyal? Definitely not. Gaudeau's doing the right thing for him right now, and he should. It still probably ends up in Calgary for the next 8 years, or at least until they have to try and offload his contract to Arizona.
- Squeaky

Not sure where in my post you read we should be overpaying for Zadorov? I see Gudbranson signing here for 2 years as he’s stated he wants some stability and is tired of moving. He brings a physical edge to the backend that we need. Mackey may fill that to a certain extent but first he has to make the team. I agree someone’s going to overpay for Zadorov, his play improved a lot over the season and lots of teams need that type of player.
I guess we’ll see what happens to Johnny, but is chooses to sign elsewhere I hope the Flames target someone to take his place. Going to be hard to replace a 100 pt player.

Not sure where in my post you read we should be overpaying for Zadorov? I see Gudbranson signing here for 2 years as he’s stated he wants some stability and is tired of moving. He brings a physical edge to the backend that we need. Mackey may fill that to a certain extent but first he has to make the team. I agree someone’s going to overpay for Zadorov, his play improved a lot over the season and lots of teams need that type of player.
I guess we’ll see what happens to Johnny, but is chooses to sign elsewhere I hope the Flames target someone to take his place. Going to be hard to replace a 100 pt player.
- K-man25

If JG walks I would be interested in taking a shot at PLD next year. That would shore up the center depth.

Not sure how to replace a 100-point playmaker. Not sure they can.