Johnny Gaudreau signs six-year extension with Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames fans can breathe easy; Johnny Gaudreau isn't going anywhere.
The 23-year-old forward agreed to a six-year extension with the team on Monday that will pay him an average annual value of $6.75 million. Gaudreau had been a restricted free agent and Calgary's patience with his contract situation appears to have paid off.
Reports from the Calgary Sun previously indicated that Gaudreau's camp was looking for closer to $8 million annually, while the Flames were reluctant to go over $7 million per year. The extension puts Gaudreau alongside defenseman Mark Giordano's with a team-high AAV.
Shortly after the news broke on Monday, Gaudreau posted a statement on Twitter:
— Johnny Gaudreau (@johngaudreau03) October 10, 2016
The deal is a big win for the Flames, who have locked up one of the game's best young offensive players long term at a manageable cap hit. It also rewards a phenomenal talent that has produced well above his pay grade for the past few years.
Even after winning the Hobey Baker as the nation's best college hockey player in 2014, critics doubted Gaudreau's ability to play at the NHL level due to his size -- he's listed at just 5'9, 157 lbs. Those doubts were quickly dispelled, as the former fourth-round pick has 143 points (55 goals, 88 assists) through his first 160 regular season NHL games and was an All-Star in 2015.
