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[Monk]

Are you trying to tell us he has been playing well?

I'm trying to tell you he's playing better than his stats suggest, which is effectively all anyone has mentioned in this thread.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I'm trying to tell you he's playing better than his stats suggest, which is effectively all anyone has mentioned in this thread.

We’ll, if he isnt scoring or helping to score, he’s not helping the team much. He was signed to that contract to produce.

 

[Monk]

We’ll, if he isnt scoring or helping to score, he’s not helping the team much. He was signed to that contract to produce.

Sometimes you can play well and not put up points, which is what I'd say he's doing right now for the most part. The points will come if he keeps playing the way he is.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Love these early season threads, will be fun to bump in a few months.

His underlying numbers are very good, he'll be just fine. Just needs the puck to start going in, the Jackets are shooting at 6.5% in all situations when he's on the ice lol.

His 5v5 xGF/60 is as high as it was his last year in Calgary, but his on ice shooting percentage is 60% lower so far:

His 5v5 individual shots/60 is at 9.03, higher than it's ever been, and his possession numbers are among the best on the Jackets.

 

[EpochLink]

Matthew Tkachuk cashed in and is still thriving, this guy cashed in and dipped. Reminds me of Darren Waller, good for 3 years, cashed in and dipped and became a f***ing bum

 

[A1LeafNation]

I don't know what the coach is doing there.

They have a chance to pair Gaudreau up with Fantilli and pair another franchise stud KJ with Jenner, but don't.

KJ Jenner Marchenko
Gaudreau Fantilli Bemstrom
Texier Voronkov Danforth

 

[Monk]

I don't know what the coach is doing there.

They have a chance to pair Gaudreau up with Fantilli and pair another franchise stud KJ with Jenner, but don't.

KJ Jenner Marchenko
Gaudreau Fantilli Bemstrom
Texier Voronkov Danforth

Pretty sure Fantilli and JG will be together next game. That's how the last game ended.

Love these early season threads, will be fun to bump in a few months.

His underlying numbers are very good, he'll be just fine. Just needs the puck to start going in, the Jackets are shooting at 6.5% in all situations when he's on the ice lol.

His 5v5 xGF/60 is as high as it was his last year in Calgary, but his on ice shooting percentage is 60% lower so far:

View attachment 760855

His 5v5 individual shots/60 is at 9.03, higher than it's ever been, and his possession numbers are among the best on the Jackets.

Well said. Another comparison... the 115 pt 40 goal season folks have referenced a number of times here..? He didn't score a goal that season until game 7.

He'll be fine.

 

[GMR]

I thought he came to Columbus to "Win games"? BWHAHAHAHAHHA

That franchise has only been to the second round once in its 22 year history. He wasn't serious if he said that.

 

[Three On Zero]

But you said, "he's never been good".

That's a ridiculous statement. 115-point players are good; some would even say great.

He's a career point-per-game player.

Don't go movin' the goal posts.

More a player of a perfect situation, that Flames team had a lot of players punch in career years

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

Idk, it's still a 7 (or possibly 8 with the Flames) years contract for a > 30 years old winger. Potentially a higher AAV too.

Not like he's a terrible player - he had 74 pts last year and probably isn't done putting up 70+ pts seasons. But... I don't think he's worth the 9.75M. Over his career, he put up the numbers of a borderline franchise player, but I don't think he is one.

But its not like Calgary was a wagon outside that one outlier year where everything went their way. They'd probably be more successful than now, but still stuck in a kind of mediocre state.

Unfortunately for the fans, the Front office seems to have made questionable decisions that turned off their star players. I really don't think its just a "meh canada bad" issue, other Canadian teams manage to keep their (better) star players around.

He’s absolutely a franchise player.

However, much like Huberdeau, he can’t be the ONLY franchise player, and both would be doing better if they had remained the franchise player for THEIR franchises.

Johnny doesn’t miss games. Nobody gets clean licks on him. He’s still going to be elite when Fantilli hits his stride.

One of the least worrisome contracts in the league IMO.

And yes, I’d take him back tomorrow.

 

[Rich Nixon]

I still think it's hilarious that he had his heart set on signing in Philly, but the Flyers chose to instead give their cap to Rasmus Ristolainen and Tony DeAngelo.

"Sorry, hometown kid who is a +100 point player and wants to come play with us, we decided to give $10M to two healthy scratch defenseman so we can't sign you. Have fun playing for a division rival instead." - Chuck Fletcher

Having watched that Blue Jackets behind-the-scenes thing about signing him, I seriously think he had no other plan. Gaudreau just figured FA would roll around and the phone would ring and the Flyers would shout a number and he'd sign the deal. Then that didn't happen so he was about to go to NJ—next-closest to home—then Columbus called and kinda went "same money lower taxes" and off he went.

Chuck Fletcher, interesting cat. Guy had both Giroux and Gaudreau willing to sign, likely for solid discounts, and said no to both. They're probably a playoff team and don't get Michkov as a result, but they get to keep all the blood and treasure they poured into Risto and Tony D.

 

[bert]

This guy is absolutely brutal now, plays almost 21 minutes a game, has zero goals and just four assists through 9 games? How did he score 115 points 2 years ago?

This was a player that never cared about winning. He went to a place he could dissapear and no one would care when he doesnt show up. No surprise he plays his best in a contract year. Not dedicated off the ice or to fitness.

 

[scoopscj]

That franchise has only been to the second round once in its 22 year history. He wasn't serious if he said that.

He said it. It was one of those things that stuck in us ....jilted at the time..... Devil's fans. We were like. Whaaaat?

 

[squashmaple]

Ah, yes, our regularly scheduled "Canadian fans (and bitter jilted lover Devils fans) get to shit on Columbus" thread. I wondered when it would happen.

 

[bert]

He probably would have played like he did in Calgary for the Devils..... meaning great!

Teams like Columbus just don't bring out the best in players.

Team with no history of winning, and no bright future either.... why should you bother?

Had he gone to the Devils or any other team with a winning history, he would have been playing great.

Would love to see him on my hawks!

This is such an absurd post. You dont know what makes hockey players tick on any level.

 

[GMR]

He said it. It was one of those things that stuck in us ....jilted at the time..... Devil's fans. We were like. Whaaaat?

Maybe he's religious and doesn't want to play for the Devils.

 

[Monk]

He said it. It was one of those things that stuck in us ....jilted at the time..... Devil's fans. We were like. Whaaaat?

View attachment 760870

Boilerplate PR quotes that every player going to a new team says stuck in your craw? ouchy mama

 

[scoopscj]

Boilerplate PR quotes that every player going to a new team says stuck in your craw? ouchy mama

He should have just said, came here to have fun, be close to my family and where I grew up. I guess it sounded crazy at the time because, who goes go Columbus to win games lately?

 

[ViD]

Lotta stat watchers, not a lotta game watchers in this thread.

That’s us trying to sugar coat the problem, he’s been very underwhelming.

 

[koyvoo]

He’s one of a few who play hockey professionally because he is good enough at it to make an elite living doing it, but don’t have the love of the game, of winning in their DNA.

If he was playing for his mothers life, you wouldn’t have to dig so deep, reach so far to note his impact.

 

[Raistlin]

Gaudreau is not a guy who dips. He had to prove everyone wrong each step of the way looking like someone put Mike Shinoda on skates.

just hit a rough patch. he will end the year btw 70-80 pts until Fantili kicks it into high gear.

 

[TheNumber4]

Like I said at the time, Johnny Contract Year was never going to live up to that 100pt+ season. I never seen Johnny try so hard as he did that year to get paid. He also had a red hot Tkachuk and Lindholm on his line that year and a team playing at their peak under Sutter. It was a perfect storm to get Johnny paid.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

I’m not too worried about him. A number of guys have had slow starts while others like Debrincat are shooting at 30%. We are seeing Debrincat slow down a bit now which is expected. I also expect Gaudreau to pick it up and finish with 70+ points. But I also would prefer to see him with Fantilli more.

He’s not a 115 point player obviously. That was a career year with elite talent on his line.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

He said it. It was one of those things that stuck in us ....jilted at the time..... Devil's fans. We were like. Whaaaat?

View attachment 760870

Notice how he doesn't mention anything about a cup? The guys purely a regular season player.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

We all have opinions, but most of them are useless.

True, but win-loss records are factual not opinional.