Prospect Info: 2022-23 Ducks Prospects

[GunnarStahl]

He threw a good hit. Gotta love that.

 

[GunnarStahl]

Interesting goal by Quebec to tie the game.

 

[GunnarStahl]

Gauchers teammate hands him a -1 with some of the weakest puck protection I’ve ever seen in a defensive zone, almost like he had no clue there was an attacking player anywhere near him.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Anybody know who the lady is on TNT calling the PxP? She sounds pretty good.

 

[goonsaredumb]

Real good offensive effort from Gaucher almost led to a goal, his puckhandling and puck protection are so underrated by people who claim he has "no offensive upside"

 

[Goose of Reason]

Quote from guy beside me about Gaucher: "honest to God someone needs to beat the shit out of that Gaucher guy holy f***"

Not overly impressed by him tonight but he's big, fast, responsible and really hits and gives guys shots. He's everything that this board feels the team is missing but not much more, tonight at least.

 

[tomd]

Gaucher with a very pedestrian game so far heading into OT. Largely invisible unless you are really focusing on him. Looks like he is playing a bottom six role in this game which is shocking for a 19 year-old 1st round pick. He did make one nice pass in the 3rd period but his puck skills are way below average for the NHL. Skating is ok for junior hockey but is definitely going to be an issue at the next level (that being the AHL). Trails the play a lot. Not a lot of intensity in his game tonight and isn't winning as many puck battles as one would think he would given his size. Years away from making an impact in the NHL IMO.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Gaucher is having a very bad final so far after awesome playoffs before then.

 

[GunnarStahl]

The only thing he really did this game was create a bunch of turnovers, he robbed the puck off the opposing team probably half a dozen times, often though for play to become flat either due to him or his line mates. He didn’t seem to have much chemistry with them. He also wasn’t often on PP2 even.

 

[Kalv]

Gaucher with a very pedestrian game so far heading into OT. Largely invisible unless you are really focusing on him. Looks like he is playing a bottom six role in this game which is shocking for a 19 year-old 1st round pick. He did make one nice pass in the 3rd period but his puck skills are way below average for the NHL. Skating is ok for junior hockey but is definitely going to be an issue at the next level (that being the AHL). Trails the play a lot. Not a lot of intensity in his game tonight and isn't winning as many puck battles as one would think he would given his size. Years away from making an impact in the NHL IMO.

This was my problem for him whenever I watch him as well, including the WJC for the most part. It just felt he was a net negative for a large part. He has then come back for stretches where he has looked decent, but overall... I'm just not sure. But he screams 4th liner that fans sometimes hate.
He has a long way to go to prove he's better than Groulx, let alone Lundestrom.
Hope he comes back soon tho, he has done it before.

 

[tomd]

This was my problem for him whenever I watch him as well, including the WJC for the most part. It just felt he was a net negative for a large part. He has then come back for stretches where he has looked decent, but overall... I'm just not sure. But he screams 4th liner that fans sometimes hate.
He has a long way to go to prove he's better than Groulx, let alone Lundestrom.
Hope he comes back soon tho, he has done it before.

Well I hope Quebec makes it to the Memorial Cup so that we can get more viewings of Gaucher in a high visibility setting. I've seen him many times now and I'm in agreement that he will be a physical zero offense 4C in the NHL. He may have to move to the wing if he doesn't improve his skating. Max Jones or Derek Grant but with less offense. People will wonder how in the heck he went in the 1st round.

It is sobering to think that Groulx was much more advanced offensively than Gaucher at the same age and look where Groulx is 5 years after being drafted.

 

[MMC]

 

[SergeConstantin74]

One thing about Gaucher though is that he often does things that don't show on a scoresheet. Zach L'Heureux is a pain in the ass and he has been going around in the first two games with sneaky gloves to the faces and a lot of slashing. Gaucher hit him hard early in the game last night. That led to a typical QMJHL penalty that wouldn't be a penalty in the NHL but L'Heureux became a ghost for the remainder of the game.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

From the article:

- Axel has settled down a bit after three or four years over there in the states. He now feels that he wants to come home, get a kind of fresh start and create a good foundation to be able to take the right step in his development. It is something that also suits us well, explains Stoppel.​

Damn. San Diego was a bad experience for him.

 

[tomd]

One thing about Gaucher though is that he often does things that don't show on a scoresheet. Zach L'Heureux is a pain in the ass and he has been going around in the first two games with sneaky gloves to the faces and a lot of slashing. Gaucher hit him hard early in the game last night. That led to a typical QMJHL penalty that wouldn't be a penalty in the NHL but L'Heureux became a ghost for the remainder of the game.

Yes that was a tremendous and clean open ice hit. Unfortunately it seemed to me that Gaucher shied away from hitting the rest of the game after that. And i was surprised at how many puck battles he lost without really giving much of an effort.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Yes that was a tremendous and clean open ice hit. Unfortunately it seemed to me that Gaucher shied away from hitting the rest of the game after that. And i was surprised at how many puck battles he lost without really giving much of an effort.

I can understand why he was more cautious after. That penalty led to a PP goal. He would probably hit more if Quebec's PK had been better so far in this series. Halifax is 4/6 on the PP in 3 games. Gaucher often gets called when he starts hitting too much.

 

[tomd]

I can understand why he was more cautious after. That penalty led to a PP goal. He would probably hit more if Quebec's PK had been better so far in this series. Halifax is 4/6 on the PP in 3 games. Gaucher often gets called when he starts hitting too much.

Thanks for your insights...they are valuable for us who can't see him live.

Another question...it sure seemed that Gaucher was on the 3rd or maybe even 4th line last night. Robidas seemed to be centering Malatesta and Gaucher was centering Huchette (I don't remember the other linemates on each line). If true, did the lines start the game that way or was Gaucher demoted during the game?

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Thanks for your insights...they are valuable for us who can't see him live.

Another question...it sure seemed that Gaucher was on the 3rd or maybe even 4th line last night. Robidas seemed to be centering Malatesta and Gaucher was centering Huchette (I don't remember the other linemates on each line). If true, did the lines start the game that way or was Gaucher demoted during the game?

Yes they moved the lines a bit last night.

Before it was

2 : Malatesta - Gaucher - Gaudet
3 : Savoie - Robidas - Huchette

It became

2 : Malatesta - Robidas - Savoie
3 : Gaudet - Gaucher - Huchette

I think it was meant to bring more offense on the 2nd line with Robidas.

 

[tomd]

Yes they moved the lines a bit last night.

Before it was

2 : Malatesta - Gaucher - Gaudet
3 : Savoie - Robidas - Huchette

It became

2 : Malatesta - Robidas - Savoie
3 : Gaudet - Gaucher - Huchette

I think it was meant to bring more offense on the 2nd line with Robidas.

Looks like Gaucher down to the 3rd line again tonight.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Looks like Gaucher down to the 3rd line again tonight.

Yes he played a solid game tonight though. L'Heureux couldn't play this game after getting injured on Gaucher's hit last game. Gaucher also took out Halifax' captain Attilio Biasca early tonight. He is too strong for the Q.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Once again wasn't overly impressed by him, he didn't do much of a thing offensively but his skillset is that of a complementary piece and he wasn't really paired with the talent to do that.

He's big, he's fast, he hounds pucks and plays a responsible game. His hitting and shit disturbing gets a little understated. He's always mucking it up and giving shots to guys and yapping at them after whistles. Again, he's not a sexy pick, but he does do everything that we feel this team is lacking.

 

[tomd]

Once again wasn't overly impressed by him, he didn't do much of a thing offensively but his skillset is that of a complementary piece and he wasn't really paired with the talent to do that.

He's big, he's fast, he hounds pucks and plays a responsible game. His hitting and shit disturbing gets a little understated. He's always mucking it up and giving shots to guys and yapping at them after whistles. Again, he's not a sexy pick, but he does do everything that we feel this team is lacking.

That is the glass half full perspective and much appreciated. I just don't see anyplace in the lineup that you put a guy like that except on the 4th line at the NHL level given that he really will bring virtually zero offense to the table.

 

[Rasp]

That is the glass half full perspective and much appreciated. I just don't see anyplace in the lineup that you put a guy like that except on the 4th line at the NHL level given that he really will bring virtually zero offense to the table.

I guess 1 ppg during playoffs translates to 0 offence in NHL

 

[tomd]

I guess 1 ppg during playoffs translates to 0 offence in NHL

He has been consistent this year. 1 ppg in both the regular season and the playoffs.

But to your question, try to find a player from the QMJHL who averaged a ppg as a 19 year-old who has even made the NHL. My search has come up empty so far.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

He has been consistent this year. 1 ppg in both the regular season and the playoffs.

But to your question, try to find a player from the QMJHL who averaged a ppg as a 19 year-old who has even made the NHL. My search has come up empty so far.

It's hard to compare because the Q used to have much more offense.

At the top of my mind, Alexandre Burrows had a pretty good NHL career for a 0.5 ppg player at 19 in the Q.

Among players who used to be part of the Remparts, Jonathan Marchessault was also a ppg player at 19. The same season his teammate Dmitry Kugryshev (a Capitals' 2nd round pick) was way over the ppg (87 in 66 games) at the same age.

It's not always about points.