Johnny Gaudreau's parents say that he was willing to sign an eight-year extension with the Flames back in 2021, had the team given him an offer even remotely close to what he wanted, but they gave him an offer that left him "embarrassed."
They both said that Gaudreau didn't decide to test the free agent market until the night of free agency, and that even when free agency opened up, returning to Calgary was still an option for him."