Calgary Flames’ forward Johnny Gaudreau grew up cheering for the Philadelphia Flyers from his hometown of Salem, New Jersey. Does he want to end up playing there? This week, the smouldering ember of a rumor that he in fact does, grew into a full-blown bonfire on the heels of a flame-fanning podcast appearance by senior Calgary columnist and analyst for Sportsnet, Eric Francis.
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“There is zero doubt in my mind that he is not going to re-sign in Calgary,” Francis said. “He says otherwise, but I think he is destined for Philadelphia. I think people have thought that from the day he signed here and he’ll ultimately be a Flyer.”
Bad News For the Flames
The news comes on the heels of the revelation on Saturday that forward Sam Bennett had asked the Flames for a trade. While not a hint at a franchise’s demise by a long shot, the bad news for the club this weekend does raise questions. Like, what will a Flames’ roster look like without these two players in it? And who could they get in return on a player like Johnny Gaudreau?
Gaudreau has previously told the Calgary Sun last August during the season-ending media availability that he hoped to be back in the Saddledome for years to come. He said Calgary had become a second home for him, that he loved the city and his teammates. But all of that talk is “lip service” on the part of the player, according to Francis.
The news, coming from such a well-informed follower of the team has weight – but what it boils down too is simply a matter of opinion. However, Francis’ opinion does matter, as he is someone with an intimate knowledge of the team and the player in question.
Gaudreau’s Contract Has Two Years Remaining
Gaudreau has two years remaining on his current contract, which has a cap-hit of $6.75 million and a modified no-trade clause. Making a deal of this size within the season would prove difficult. Francis said if Gaudreau were to be traded, it would likely be in the offseason.
The Flyers have several big contracts on the books with over $65 million already tied up next season. If a move were made for Gaudreau, Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher would almost certainly have to send money out. The other option is to wait for Gaudreau to become a free agent and sign the player then.
But before we get carried away, let’s remember that no deal is imminent for Gaudreau. Whether the player even wants out of the city is not something we can confirm based on the comments of an analyst who covers the team. Nevertheless, the Gaudreau-to-the-Flyers storyline persists year-after-year and could be something to watch moving forward.
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