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Treliving wants Gaudreau to sign contract with Flames for "long, long time"

Adam Laskaris
Adam Laskaris
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Apr 17 2022, 10:25 pm
Treliving wants Gaudreau to sign contract with Flames for "long, long time"
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Calgary Flames general manger Brad Treliving didn’t shy away from discussing the latest on the contract status of Johnny Gaudreau in a recent TV appearance.

Joining Saturday night’sĀ After Hours segment of the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Treliving discussed the latest on Gaudreau, who is an unrestricted free agent after the season. Gaudreau has 36 goals and 69 assists for a team-leading 105 points this season, all of which are career highs.

“We want him back here,” Treiliving said. “We’re going to move heaven and Earth and do everything we possibly can to get Johnny back here. You’ve seen it throughout the season. He’s a top player, not only what he’s done, productivity with the puck this year, but what he’s done without it.”

Gaudreau is eligible to sign a new contract with the Flames at any time, but agreed through agent Lewis Gross to wait until the offseason to enter discussions with the team. Gaudreau signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract with the Flames back in 2016, with an annual average value of $6.75 million.

GaudreauĀ is one of three big Flames forwards up for new deals this summer, along with Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane, who are both restricted free agents.

“I remember when [Flames coach] Darryl [Sutter] came in last year and the screams were, ‘Oh, Johnny can’t play for Darryl.’ I remember chuckling,” Treliving said. “If anybody knows Johnny, he thrives under a coach that will push him. He has his whole career. Both those guys, him and Matthew and Andrew [Mangiapane], the list goes on. We’ve got a lot of work to do. Obviously Johnny being unrestricted, we’re going to do everything we humanly possibly can to have him be back here and be a Flame for a long, long time.”

The 28-year-old Gaudreau has spent his entire career in Calgary after being drafted by the team in the fourth round back in 2011.

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