Johnny Gaudreau: 2015/16 expectations?

[Bezer]

2nd behind Landeskog.

I am a huge fan of Landeskog but I take Gaudreau over him. Admittedly Landeskog brings some things with his skill set that Johnny doesn't.

 

[theIceWookie]

Regardless as to what you say about his durability, it has yet to be seen.

Usually players with durability issues show signs of those issues before the NHL. Gaudreau hasn't.

His size has very little to do with durability. It's an oft tossed around idea that I'm not sure is even all that true. I'd love to see data that supports smaller players getting hurt on a higher basis than bigger players.

Also, every player is a hit away from a major injury. Size really has nothing to do with it.

 

[vannuckles]

Usually players with durability issues show signs of those issues before the NHL. Gaudreau hasn't.

His size has very little to do with durability. It's an oft tossed around idea that I'm not sure is even all that true. I'd love to see data that supports smaller players getting hurt on a higher basis than bigger players.

Also, every player is a hit away from a major injury. Size really has nothing to do with it.

Ok, you guys win, size has NOTHING to do with it.

 

[vannuckles]

This is the evolution of your camp's thinking, and by that I mean many, but not all, Canucks fans:

-Gaudreau won't be able to make the team, he's too small.
-Gaudreau won't be able to compete against "real" NHL'ers, he's too small.
-Gaudreau won't be able to compete against proper NHL D-men, he's too small.
-Now that proper NHL D-men have played against Gaudreau, he won't be able to compete; he's too small.
- Inevitably, Gaudreau will suffer a career-ending injury.

It's been quite a thing to behold, really.

"my camp's thinking"? Really now. I have not said any of the above thanks. The only thing I was stating, was if Johnny goes down (length depending), your team won't make the big dance, that's all. If anything, that would mean I am calling him your teams best player (which I feel is true).

 

[Anglesmith]

"my camp's thinking"? Really now. I have not said any of the above thanks. The only thing I was stating, was if Johnny goes down (length depending), your team won't make the big dance, that's all. If anything, that would mean I am calling him your teams best player (which I feel is true).

Okay, but if that's all your saying, you are making a point about the Flames, not about Gaudreau. As others have pointed out, the best player of every team is also just one hit away from being injured and forcing his team to go without.

Also, our best player went down to injury last season and we rose to the challenge. So who knows if your statement is correct?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Ok, you guys win, size has NOTHING to do with it.

Show me evidence that supports your theory that size and propensity to injury are related.

 

[22FUTON9]

I really doubt no one other than flames fans would take Gaudreau over RNH and Landy.

Those two are clearly above the rest still. Id put him in the next tier with guys like Kuz

 

[FlamesFan18]

Landeskog is the only guy id take right now over Johnny. Things can change.

 

[vannuckles]

Show me evidence that supports your theory that size and propensity to injury are related.

I never made a "theory", and am not even arguing about whatever it is you are trying to point out.

I have never said anything about size mattering regarding concussions (which some of you are trying to imply I am).

A player who is 6'3-220lbs v.s a player who is 5'9-150lbs. Who is most likely to take the same hit better?

You guys seem very defensive about my original comment. I have nothing to argue with you guys about here haha. Like I said before, I think Johnny is your best player. What exactly is your guys issue here?

 

[Anglesmith]

I never made a "theory", and am not even arguing about whatever it is you are trying to point out.

I have never said anything about size mattering regarding concussions (which some of you are trying to imply I am).

A player who is 6'3-220lbs v.s a player who is 5'9-150lbs. Who is most likely to take the same hit better?

You guys seem very defensive about my original comment. I have nothing to argue with you guys about here haha. Like I said before, I think Johnny is your best player. What exactly is your guys issue here?

This question is misleading, though, because the bigger player would not take the same hits as the smaller player. That's not how it works in reality. Of course the bigger player has a better likelihood of surviving a big hit than a smaller player. Now, based on that, what does Johnny's ability to stay healthy for 5 straight years as a small player tell you about his ability to avoid big hits?

It's not about being defensive, it's about preventing ridiculous concepts from being perpetuated wherever possible.

 

[vannuckles]

This question is misleading, though, because the bigger player would not take the same hits as the smaller player. That's not how it works in reality.

It's not about being defensive, it's about preventing ridiculous concepts from being perpetuated wherever possible.

This thread is too funny, size DOES matter in this league.

I don't know/care about whatever nonsense you are arguing about. you have a right to your opinion, I am not arguing it.

I think your team would be in far more trouble without Jonny, as you would be without Gio again.

Good day

 

[Reinhart]

Ryan Strome will be better than them all and possibly bunch of other guys...

Kucherov..

Funny you mention Kucherov. The Flames' head scout had both Kucherov and Gaudreau not listed on his overall rankings, and had them both on a separate list. Calgary would have drafted both had it not been for Tampa apparently - though the Flames were also trying to get another 2nd or 3rd round pick in order to do so. Feaster allowed Todd Button to not have them ranked, and instead just go off of Todd Button's instincts. Apparently was a bit of a surprise to him when Tampa took him, as he thought he had a pretty good read on who was looking at him.

With Gaudreau, they kept their scouting relatively secret - would not talk to Gaudreau and would often go and talk to other players that they were not interested in, just to throw off other teams, while keeping a close eye on who was talking to Gaudreau. Pretty interesting article (though I am too lazy to look it up).

This article is interesting as well. Seems the Flames have had a lot of teams inquiring about Gaudreau since the draft, and especially close to the time where he was about to turn pro.

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hockey/nhl/calgary-flames/flames-fended-off-early-trade-offers-for-gaudreau

 

[Anglesmith]

This thread is too funny, size DOES matter in this league.

I don't know/care about whatever nonsense you are arguing about. you have a right to your opinion, I am not arguing it.

I think your team would be in far more trouble without Jonny, as you would be without Gio again.

Good day

Of course size matters for teams. You need a mix. Too many big guys, and other teams can skate you into the ground. Too many small players and the other team can impose their will physically.

For individual players, size matters in that smaller players have a harder task to become valuable players. Part of the game is winning physical battles. If you aren't going to win any physical battles, you need to be pretty damn good at everything else to make up for it. Luckily, Johnny is, so with that being a given, his size doesn't really matter.

I don't understand why you'd come into a thread, say something, then when people engage you in discussion claim you don't care about it and flee away. We're responding to your point. If you don't know what that is, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[vannuckles]

Of course size matters for teams. You need a mix. Too many big guys, and other teams can skate you into the ground. Too many small players and the other team can impose their will physically.

For individual players, size matters in that smaller players have a harder task to become valuable players. Part of the game is winning physical battles. If you aren't going to win any physical battles, you need to be pretty damn good at everything else to make up for it. Luckily, Johnny is, so with that being a given, his size doesn't really matter.


I don't understand why you'd come into a thread, say something, then when people engage you in discussion claim you don't care about it and flee away. We're responding to your point. If you don't know what that is, I don't know what to tell you.

My opinion is backed up by what happened to you guys from the much BIGGER team in the Ducks, last playoffs. I was still on here commenting, because I was reading he could get the Art Ross, avoid damage like Wayne Gretzky, have a PPG season. I disagreed, and you started going off about how Johnny's size does not matter.

I was not "fleeing" anything. I am just tired of going on about it. You have your opinion on Johnny, as do I. What's so hard to understand? This conversation is pointless. Good day.

 

[PAZ]

This question is misleading, though, because the bigger player would not take the same hits as the smaller player. That's not how it works in reality. Of course the bigger player has a better likelihood of surviving a big hit than a smaller player. Now, based on that, what does Johnny's ability to stay healthy for 5 straight years as a small player tell you about his ability to avoid big hits?

It's not about being defensive, it's about preventing ridiculous concepts from being perpetuated wherever possible.

A player can only avoid so many hits. There's lots of borderline/cheap players in this league who might catch him unaware. But I do agree with your sentiment that in general, how Gaudreau takes a hit is irrelevant because he almost never does.

 

[PsYcNeT]

Except Gaudreau was the only Flames forward that showed up to play the Ducks, so I'm not sure where you are going with this.

 

[Paper]

My opinion is backed up by what happened to you guys from the much BIGGER team in the Ducks, last playoffs.

What happened to the even bigger Jets last season? Oh yeah, they got swept by the Ducks...Hear me out, because this might seem crazy, but it's almost like the Ducks were a really good team that happened to have size.

 

[InfinityIggy]

What happened to the even bigger Jets last season? Oh yeah, they got swept by the Ducks...Hear me out, because this might seem crazy, but it's almost like the Ducks were a really good team that happened to have size.

Nope Ducks only won that because Getzlaf is tall. Nothing to do with them having one of the best forward cores in the West.

 

[Anglesmith]

My opinion is backed up by what happened to you guys from the much BIGGER team in the Ducks, last playoffs. I was still on here commenting, because I was reading he could get the Art Ross, avoid damage like Wayne Gretzky, have a PPG season. I disagreed, and you started going off about how Johnny's size does not matter.

I was not "fleeing" anything. I am just tired of going on about it. You have your opinion on Johnny, as do I. What's so hard to understand? This conversation is pointless. Good day.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make in referencing the Ducks series. Gaudreau, IIRC, led the team in scoring with his 3 pts in 5 games. The team was overall outmatched, but so what? That's what you get in the second year of a rebuild. They've improved over the summer, and the young guys have an extra year of experience.

Not sure where you made any argument against the statement that he could avoid damage like Gretzky. That really isn't as ridiculous a statement as you seem to think. Is there a reason you think Gretzky is an impossible standard for durability?

If you're tired of the conversation, why do you keep bringing up new points without supporting them?

A player can only avoid so many hits. There's lots of borderline/cheap players in this league who might catch him unaware. But I do agree with your sentiment that in general, how Gaudreau takes a hit is irrelevant because he almost never does.

It's true that no player is immune to cheapshots. If you want badly enough to take a player out, you can find an opportunity, even if it's outside the rules.

 

[Lunatik]

You guys are funny. The Art Ross comment after 2 games, is rich. It was kind of hard for me not to laugh. My bad.

I am pretty sure he meant eventually, not this season in particular.

 

[Straight Fire]

Here's Johnny at age 9 in Edmonton of all places, he was the tourney MVP

That was awesome - thx for posting it! Man he was a little jitterbug back then even!

 

[lawrence]

kids the real deal.

70 + points for sure. He's their best player.

 

[HackandLube]

Hey, I made this!

Gaudreau has been developing his ability to spin, dart, and dodge players since he was a kid and has honed it more and more as he developed against bigger players. That said, while he pretty much dodged every bullet last season, statistically he can't dodge everything. Time will tell how he handles it and progresses in the league.

 

[Drij]

Bust year for him.

 

[Riddum]

lol, how many guys scored 80 pts last year? And these were the elite of the elite. Johnny isn't scoring 80 pts.