Gaudreau: Needs more muscle or he's just fine the way he is?

[Rangediddy]

He's also stronger, you can tell. I mean I agree with you that the lack of slashing has helped players like him immensely - even maybe no one more than Johnny. But he is stronger on the puck, has more confidence in tight areas and isn't as easily knocked off the puck. Even just that little bit of strength training and weight has helped in spades. You can see he's slightly more solid looking.

Now imagine 3 or 4 off seasons of the same training!

 

[Tofveve]

Now imagine 3 or 4 off seasons of the same training!

I had to look back into this thread to see where I caught some heat in September/October calling for 5 to 10 lbs of muscle. Not to say people didn't have some valid concerns and points. I wouldn't want him to get too much bigger or stronger. Mature strength will kick in soon enough. Now it feels like the next stage is simply "seasoning," and yeah, the future is exciting providing he keeps the tweaking going.

 

[Rangediddy]

I had to look back into this thread to see where I caught some heat in September/October calling for 5 to 10 lbs of muscle. Not to say people didn't have some valid concerns and points. I wouldn't want him to get too much bigger or stronger. Mature strength will kick in soon enough. Now it feels like the next stage is simply "seasoning," and yeah, the future is exciting providing he keeps the tweaking going.

I agree, he doesn't need Martin St. Louis' legs or anything, but we've seen what a successful off-season of training has done to his confidence and ABILITY to play stronger on the puck. This season won't be the peak of that, so keeping that training up will only make him better.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

While I don't disagree, I think less hooking and slashing is still a huge difference for him as well.

 

[Rangediddy]

While I don't disagree, I think less hooking and slashing is still a huge difference for him as well.

It's this as well, but it's him knowing he can go into some dirtier areas to play the puck without getting assaulted that lets him use the strength. Last year he was getting knocked over so easily but it's different now.

 

[1989]

I don't think it's as much to do with physical developments (either his build or the fewer amounts of slashes, etc.) but mostly mental, although his skating is noticeably more agile and he wasn't a slouch in that department before this season.

We all knew Gaudreau sees the ice very well but last season he pigeonholed himself with repetitive buttonhook plays along the boards upon zone entry, limiting his potential to create offence. Teams noticed his tendencies and locked his options out of reach on a nightly basis.
He's been much better at entering the zone with the puck, then skating to the middle just above the circles before dishing it off or skating further in, and the results obviously speak for themselves. Whether he's developed this methodology by himself or with the assistance of coaching, it's made Gaudreau even more dangerous and defenders give him too much room to work in addition to the newfound areas that he gives himself to work in.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

He's also worked on his cherry picking

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Gaudreau has been as good as any player in the NHL this season. Monahan also deserves a lot of praise. What a great line.