Chalk up another victory for Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving. The savvy executive re-signed Johnny Gaudreau Monday night, locking up the star winger to a long-term extension, reportedly worth $6.75 million per year.
That figure brings Gaudreau in line with the Flames' highest paid player, captain Mark Giordano, and significantly lower than the $8-plus million salary Gaudreau was believed to be seeking. It's also just $375,000 more than fellow star forward Sean Monahan.
"I have decided to re-sign with the Calgary Flames. As I have always said, I just want to play hockey," Gaudreau said in a statement. "I want to be there for my teammates and for the fans of Calgary."
It's a big win for Treliving, who continues to build up the Flames without breaking the bank.
It started last offseason, when just after a year on the job, Treliving bulked up his blue line by sending three draft picks to the Boston Bruins for hulking defenseman Dougie Hamilton. The 23-year-old Hamilton had a career year last season, registering 43 points. He will look to build on that total this year as the Flames look to return to the postseason for just the second time since 2009.
This offseason, after the Flames backtracked on a plan to bring in big-ticket goalie Ben Bishop, they landed on Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues. The 31-year-old Elliott finished atop the league last season with a .930 save percentage.
Goaltending was the weakest link for the Flames last campaign, as former netminder Jonas Hiller finished with an awful .879 save percentage. Treliving addressed the deficiency in spades, also bringing in backup Chad Johnson to provide added support.
The Flames' offseason shopping didn't stop with Elliott. The team also brought in veteran winger Troy Brouwer via free agency. The bruising power forward was a top player in last year's postseason, finishing with 13 points in 20 games.
The Flames will look for similar production in their own pursuit of the postseason this year, a goal which management certainly has in mind.
"We expect and intend to be a playoff team," said Brian Burke, the Flames' president of hockey operations.
That's a far easier task with Gaudreau back in the fold. After finishing with 78 points last season, the third-year pro will look to build on that in 2016-17, surrounded by Calgary's host of impressive offseason additions.
