Our rebuild chance ended the day before we traded Dobson++ for 2 years of Hamonic and a 4th. After that there was no turning back.

That Boston trade is not good for Calgary
Hanifin = Carlo
Gaudreau >> DeBrusk + 2nd

Dadonov is not going to sign that, he will resign in Florida for that deal long before Calgary

DeBrusk would definitely take a hometown discount

Dadanov MAY sign for more but I seriously doubt it. They have had an internal budget forever, and COVID likely hasn't helped that. If He were likely resign for more there, it likely would've been done. And there are what, 3-5 teams in the league with the cap space to sign him and 2 are looking for RWs and willing to pay that.

Two years of Gaudreau (who is unlikely to reach 99 pts ever again with this team) isn't going to garner the type of return you would consider a "win" He also doesn't fit in CGY. So think of it like this;

Hanfin = Carlo
Gaudreau < Cap space for a Top 6 FA RW who DOES fit, Debrusk & a 2nd.

There are literally 2 MAYBE 3 potential spaces that have the space & desire to bring in a player like Gaudreau. If they are serious about winning and revamping the top 6, they need to use him to garner better quality depth, not try to win the trade straight up. Gaudreau fits with Bostons structure, development curve and playing style. Maybe see if they will include a prospect like Studnika or Senyshyn but in this economic climate; seems unlikely)

Maybe the trade isn't a win, but the team is clearly better.

I could see that happening for sure. BOS players seem to LOVE being Bruins.

DeBrusk is from Alberta

True. Misunderstood what you were alluding to. I could see it working both ways. I also think with middle 6 FWD's feeling the pinch, a little security and coming closer to home, a little term he may accept less. I took the average of his closest comparable(s) and inflated it a bit to get a bit more term. Same with Mangiapane.

How exactly does Dadonov "fit" better than Gaudreau? Gaudreau drives a line, Dadonov is a pure passenger to Huberdeau and Barkov.

Lol you must be Gaudreau's agent/brother. At very least you are the president of his fan club. To take one small, largely inconsequential statement and use that as the basis of your argument shows how emotionally driven your stance is rather than one based in logic or fact. Do you want success for the team, or a team with your favorite player??

1) The underlying numbers/metrics indicate Dadonov was, for the majority of the time, an equal participant on that line that complimented his line mates well. So that's a lazy, cherry picked, shortsighted argument. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, he isn't a defensive liability that needs to be sheltered or offset by his line mates. BOS has players more capable of doing that than CGY does.

2) Your assertion that Gaudreau "drives the play" is somewhat accurate but largely incomplete. He requires the right players to compliment his perimeter playmaking ability, preferably a player who can "make room" or "create space" for him, either through physical play (his flashes of success with Ferland) or their creativity (Hudler or, until he became predictable as a result of having to carry the burden of defensive responsibility Lindholm). The Flames as currently constructed (and as the inmates seem to run the asylum re: who he wants to play with) don't have those players, or have the right mix of players to lend themselves to that style.