"I take it personal": Conroy admits it hurt when Gaudreau, Tkachuk left
It stung, Calgary Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy admitted when Johnny Gaudreau informed the Flames that he’d go to market and explore his options on the eve of free agency in the summer.
It probably felt like a knockout blow when Gaudreau chose the Columbus Blue Jackets, ending a 602-game relationship that began when Calgary selected the forward in the fourth round (No. 104) of the 2011 NHL Draft.
“That hurt. I’ll be honest,” Conroy said on the Barnburner podcast with Dean ‘Boomer’ Molberg, Ryan Pinder, and Rhett Warrener on Wednesday.
“Like Bob Hartley says, ‘Connie, you fall in love with the players’ and I do. I fell in love with Johnny right away and we had a connection.
“I always believed we were going to get it done. Just like I believed…I had moments when we went to sign him the first time maybe it wasn’t going to happen. I was freaking out a little bit again too, but in the end, we got it done. I really thought it was going to happen again.”
Conroy was the executive tasked with signing Gaudreau to his entry-level contract in 2013, flying with contract in hand to bring the budding college prospect to the NHL.
He returned to Calgary with Gaudreau and fellow prospect Bill Arnold.
It started a nine-year playing relationship that saw Gaudreau amass 609 points (210 goals, 399 assists) — fifth on the team’s all-time list and within striking distance of Jarome Iginla’s lead — that ended when his six-year, $40.5 million contract signed in 2016 expired in the summer.
“I thought the legacy…the city…I think his parents love it here. I was with Guy in the hotel, we were at a different hotel, in Dallas. I just felt it was meant to be,” Conroy said.
“I talked about retiring jerseys and all-time leading Flames point leader. You’re not going to catch Jarome’s goals, but you’re going to catch him in points. For me, I thought all that. And we have a good relationship. He might not want to hurt my feelings and whatever…so, it was tough.
“For me, it was a personal thing. He is a special player. Same with Matthew. I hate to see Matthew leave. I would’ve loved to have both of them back, and add a few pieces around them. That would’ve been kind of our plan going into the draft.”
Shortly after Gaudreau’s departure, Tkachuk, who had one year remaining on his contract, informed the organization he would not sign a long-term deal with the club.
It prompted a summer blockbuster that saw Tkachuk, selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2016 draft, moved to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a conditional first-round pick.
"That hurt, I’ll be honest. Bob Hartley says Conny you’ll fall in love with the players and I do and I fell in love with Johnny."#Flames AGM Craig Conroy joined the @Barnburnerfn boys today and talked about Johnny Gaudreau leaving
WATCH/LISTEN: https://t.co/qnVIq9L9FO pic.twitter.com/I2DAbK9SAy
— FlamesNation (@FlamesNation) November 16, 2022
“When Johnny didn’t come back and Matthew told us he wasn’t going to come back, for me personally, I take it personal,” Conroy said.
“I’m like ‘what?’ You care about the guys. But I do get it. It’s just hard.”
Gaudreau has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) and a minus-5 rating in 15 games with the Blue Jackets, and Tkachuk has 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 14 games for the Panthers.
Conroy said he understood the option to try something new.
He wondered, though, if either will feel the same down the road.
“Neither of the guys played anywhere else,” Conroy said. “I want to see in five years what they say, honestly, because I know everybody thinks it’s better other places, but until you get there you don’t know, you don’t know what it’s like.
“I think that’s the one thing people don’t understand. Yeah, there’s pressure, but you’re treated extremely well. Where I don’t see Matthew in South Beach getting any perks. He could call at any moment, any restaurant, they’re going to find a table for him. Anything he wants to do…and maybe they do. I’d love to talk to Matthew…I still text Matthew…and I would love to see what he says in five years.
“And maybe it’s way better, but I don’t know.”
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