With the excitement — er, Team North America — knocked out of the World Cup, sometime in the next day or so, Johnny Gaudreau will officially become a training camp holdout.
While it is indeed an ugly word in pro sports, it doesn’t mean discussions are acrimonious or that he’s destined to miss the start of the season.
Nor should he be criticized.
It’s just business.
And in Gaudreau’s case, withholding services this close to the season is just smart bargaining.
Once his contract impasse reached mid-summer, it was destined to go to the 11th hour as he has little to lose doing so.