Welcome back to "Who Is That Player?"
Today we kick off a new year by examining that famous Senator from the great state of Massachusetts,
Adam Gaudette.
Originally a 5th round pick by the Canucks, Gaudette had a storied college career at his hometown Northeastern where he won the 2018 Hobey Baker Award. Like so many winners however he has struggled to transition that success to the pro ranks. He played parts of 4 seasons with Vancouver including breaking in under then coach Travis Green.
After leaving Vancouver he would see brief cups of coffee with the Blackhawks, Blues, and 50 games with Ottawa in a previous stint. Most of his time in recent years has been spent in the AHL though which left his career at a crossroads. Typically tweeners will decamp for European leagues where they can make more money. Not Gaudette though:
I got a lot of calls about going to Europe. I told them – my agent and I are on the same page too – that I wasn’t going to give up on my dream yet. Did I wanted to be in the AHL? No. Every player in the AHL wants to play in the NHL. But you are not going to get back to the NHL by moping around down there.
Thanks to his previous connection with now Senators' coach Travis Green, Gaudette was brought in this offseason for his second go-round with Ottawa. Through 35 games he's put up a lopsided statline with 13 goals, already a career high in any of his NHL seasons, versus 4 assists. His production followed a similar pattern in the AHL as well with goals coming much more easily than helpers.
For his efforts he's found himself playing on what would be considered Ottawa's top line by even strength icetime with Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson. Will it last? Who can say. But I would feel very confident in his chances to add to his goal total tonight, which only Roope Hintz and Matt Duchene can claim to have bettered.
This has been, "Who Is That Player"?
