Report: Gaudreau seeking $8M annually on new deal with Flames

The gap between what the Calgary Flames are offering Johnny Gaudreau and what the restricted free agent is seeking on his new deal is significant.

The two sides, who reportedly won't be talking while Gaudreau plays at the World Cup, are believed to be approximately $1.5 million apart in terms of average annual valuation, according to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun, who writes:

Sources say Gaudreau’s agent, Lewis Gross, is asking for a payday in the $8-million range while the Flames are pushing to pay between what Sean Monahan signed for ($6.375 million annual average value) and what captain Mark Giordano makes (a team-high $6.75 million AAV).

The 23-year-old has quickly emerged as the new face of the Flames, leading the team in scoring in each of his first two seasons and finishing 2015-16 in a tie for the fifth-highest point total in the NHL.

That he's only played 160 games and is a restricted free agent limits his leverage, however, and the argument can be made - and is likely being made by Calgary - that a big-time payday coming out of an entry-level deal isn't prudent.

Still, Gaudreau's production warrants a deal comparable to his peers, and he is an important piece for a Flames team that has the look of an up-and-comer in the Western Conference, meaning a deal is still likely to get done before the puck drops on the regular season.

But there's still a considerable amount of work to be done, it would seem.