Real reason why Johnny Gaudreau is leaving the Flames revealed

It was a heartbreaking update from the Flames, but on Tuesday evening, forward Johnny Gaudreau informed management in Calgary that he’ll be testing the free agent market on Wednesday.

The star forward has been linked to different interested teams, which include the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders and the reason behind his decision to leave Calgary will only add to the speculations of these teams attempting to sign in.

Per reporter Ryan Novosinsky in Jersey, Gaudreau leaving the Flames is a family decision.

On Tuesday, the Flames did offer Gaudreau an eight year, $80 million contract which would make him the highest paid player in franchise history, but it was not a question of money. Gaudreau owns a home on the Jersey Shore, and his wife and his family have ties to the region, so he seems like a natural fit for the Devils, who would do anything to get a player like him for a quick rebuild.

New Jersey reportedly plan on making a big offer to the UFA, which is believed to be higher than the one that Islander general manager Lou Lamoriello intends to place on the table in front of Gaudreau.

Gaudreau is coming off his most productive season, putting up career-high numbers in 2021-22, scoring 40 goals and 75 assists while posting a league-best plus-64 rating and tallying nine game-winning goals. He also got 14 points during a 12-game playoff run for Calgary.

He deserves good money, no doubt, but most importantly, he needs to be happy and close to family. And that’s priceless.