Player Discussion: Johnny "Hockey" Gaudreau

[NotCommitted]

Was talking about last season when Tkachuk scored 109p in 79gp. And i threw the names from my head. Doesnt really matter who played the other wing for Vertaegh and Tkachuk since they dont really have any star wingers that'd boost Tkachuk's stats

Not to take anything away from Tkachuk's offensive play but like it's already been pointed out, in Panthers the 1st and 3rd line carried a very heavy burden defensively, while Tkachuk's line was used as an offensive weapon. CBJ doesn't have a Barkov, but between the players they have now, maybe they could use a somewhat similar approach in the near future. A defensively sheltered line built around JG/Roslovic for example could be interesting. In any case the offensive depth is looking really good, even more so once Laine comes back.

Roslovic - Fantilli - Gaudreau
Marchenko - Laine - KJ
Texier - Jenner - Danforth
...or something like that. The Fantilli line would be given as easy minutes as possible, I would expect them to feast on those, JG would get to play with the puck a lot and I think it would good for Fantilli long term to keep his offensive confidence going. The Jenner line would eat the hardest minutes.

But I could juggle most of the guys around and end up with lines I like, that's the beauty, just a year ago it was a struggle to come up with 1 good line and have any faith in the rest of the top9.

Anyway as to JG, I've been a bit underwhelmed overall with him, but not enough to be concerned. Last season was what it was but even then it was apparent for stretches he can dominate the O-zone practically by himself when he's going. So far this year I think the biggest problem has been pucks not going in.

 

[MoeBartoli]

Not to take anything away from Tkachuk's offensive play but like it's already been pointed out, in Panthers the 1st and 3rd line carried a very heavy burden defensively, while Tkachuk's line was used as an offensive weapon. CBJ doesn't have a Barkov, but between the players they have now, maybe they could use a somewhat similar approach in the near future. A defensively sheltered line built around JG/Roslovic for example could be interesting. In any case the offensive depth is looking really good, even more so once Laine comes back.

Roslovic - Fantilli - Gaudreau
Marchenko - Laine - KJ
Texier - Jenner - Danforth
...or something like that. The Fantilli line would be given as easy minutes as possible, I would expect them to feast on those, JG would get to play with the puck a lot and I think it would good for Fantilli long term to keep his offensive confidence going. The Jenner line would eat the hardest minutes.

But I could juggle most of the guys around and end up with lines I like, that's the beauty, just a year ago it was a struggle to come up with 1 good line and have any faith in the rest of the top9.

Anyway as to JG, I've been a bit underwhelmed overall with him, but not enough to be concerned. Last season was what it was but even then it was apparent for stretches he can dominate the O-zone practically by himself when he's going. So far this year I think the biggest problem has been pucks not going in.

What happened to Bemstrom?

 

[Marioesque]

What happened to Bemstrom?

Or Chinakhov? That's why this team will work. Your competition is fierce, no matter who you are. There are guys like Danforth in the lineup, guys who never stop working, never give up on a puck. Your talent and effort has to overcome THAT just to break into the 4th. That's why this year will already be good. The competition drives success

 

[VT]

Not to take anything away from Tkachuk's offensive play but like it's already been pointed out, in Panthers the 1st and 3rd line carried a very heavy burden defensively, while Tkachuk's line was used as an offensive weapon. CBJ doesn't have a Barkov, but between the players they have now, maybe they could use a somewhat similar approach in the near future. A defensively sheltered line built around JG/Roslovic for example could be interesting. In any case the offensive depth is looking really good, even more so once Laine comes back.

Roslovic - Fantilli - Gaudreau
Marchenko - Laine - KJ
Texier - Jenner - Danforth
...or something like that. The Fantilli line would be given as easy minutes as possible, I would expect them to feast on those, JG would get to play with the puck a lot and I think it would good for Fantilli long term to keep his offensive confidence going. The Jenner line would eat the hardest minutes.

But I could juggle most of the guys around and end up with lines I like, that's the beauty, just a year ago it was a struggle to come up with 1 good line and have any faith in the rest of the top9.

Anyway as to JG, I've been a bit underwhelmed overall with him, but not enough to be concerned. Last season was what it was but even then it was apparent for stretches he can dominate the O-zone practically by himself when he's going. So far this year I think the biggest problem has been pucks not going in.

I am not sure whether Vincent would move Sillinger to Cleveland. It means to me he likes him.

 

[MAHJ71]

 

[Indy18]

Why I am not to worried about players like him and Tex. They are not getting on the scoresheet but still creating opportunities.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

I read that he is dealing with some personal issues. I wonder if that is having an effect on his game? I have never seen him look so unmotivated on the ice…it’s not like him

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I read that he is dealing with some personal issues. I wonder if that is having an effect on his game? I have never seen him look so unmotivated on the ice…it’s not like him

He did miss practice on Friday due to personal issues

 

[DEF]

It would be a good move if the team gave him some time off to sort things out.

 

[stevo61]

It would be a good move if the team gave him some time off to sort things out.

We dont even know what is or isnt going on, like in most cases its best not to speculate. If he can play he'll play and he simply needs to get back to his game. If its actually something we've seen multiple times players will get the time they need should they need it

 

[majormajor]

Other than yesterday's game, which was especially bad for perhaps reasons outside of hockey, Johnny's game this year looks a lot like a frustrated guy in a bad slump. Most games I don't think he looks disinterested. He's pumping his feet, the problem is gripping his stick. He's forcing bad plays. He's taking a lot of low percentage shots. It looks like a guy trying to find his way out of the slump. And he looked fine the game before last.

I've also heard people say they know he is disinterested because he is not taking contact, but he has always bailed rather than take a hit, that's part of the deal at that size.

 

[stevo61]

Other than yesterday's game, which was especially bad for perhaps reasons outside of hockey, Johnny's game this year looks a lot like a frustrated guy in a bad slump. Most games I don't think he looks disinterested. He's pumping his feet, the problem is gripping his stick. He's forcing bad plays. He's taking a lot of low percentage shots. It looks like a guy trying to find his way out of the slump. And he looked fine the game before last.

I've also heard people say they know he is disinterested because he is not taking contact, but he has always bailed rather than take a hit, that's part of the deal at that size.

Nah he just needs to take his concussions and seperated shoulders like a man!

 

[CBJWerenski8]

“We had a good chat,” Vincent said. “He was honest with me, and that’s what I like. That’s what I expect. … So, we had a conversation. He's honest, I’m honest and then we move forward, and that’s it. We learn from it. So, I have to believe Johnny’s going to be good tonight.”

“Obviously, I wanted to be on the ice,” he said. “One-goal game, had two or three power plays in there, against a divisional team? I mean, that sucks. You put your team down a little bit, but they played well in the third and gave us a chance to almost tie the game up, and that’s all you can ask for from the guys. I’ll just try to be better tonight and go from there.”
Gaudreau is now ready to move forward after stating his feelings on the matter to Vincent.

"(The coaches) have their point and I have my point,” Gaudreau said. “I talked to ‘Pazzy.’ Obviously, he’s the coach. He saw something different and that’s all you can do. Hash it out and move onto the next day. It’s too long of a season to dread one game. I know I’ll be better … I need to be better. Go from there.”
Gaudreau’s benching was in line with Vincent’s other decisions.

“Not my first time, won’t be my last,” Gaudreau said. “Or … hopefully it’s my last. ‘Pazzy’ saw it different. He’s trying to help the team win games, so he thought I wasn’t playing my best and that’s that, so move on, go from there.”
If only it were that simple. Gaudreau said he hasn’t fully erased the sting of what happened and plans to use it as motivation against the Panthers.

“It’s still in the back of my mind,” he said. “I need to play better, you know? You can’t think it’s a new day when you didn’t have your best game, you know? I need to have a good game tonight and play hard for my teammates.”

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I really like that Vincent seems to be able to communicate with the players he benches and leave them in an OK-not a defeated-state of mind. I base this on quotes from the players after their benchings.

I wasn't real gung ho with the Johnny Hockey signing. He had a career year in his contract year and was 29 years old heading into the first year of a seven year deal. I know that that's "the market" term for a player like him, but it isn't something that I'm keen on doing for someone like him. If he's not going to be a PPG player at his salary, then his contact will become an albatross for the CBJ.

 

[Forepar]

Not only JG and Tex, we have 8 players in the "bottom" 102 (Tex is 102 from bottom, JG is 18 from bottom) in negative goals vs. expected goals.
Interestingly, Laine (granted only 4 games), Marchenko, Werenski, Provorov and Fantilli are also all in that "top" 102 (bottom 102 actually).
With 32 teams, equal performance to adjusted XG would mean we should expect to see 3, no more than 4, on that list of bottom 102.

For the most part the sample size is too small to make any major conclusions.
I'm also NOT suggesting that the stat suggests CBJ is on the cusp of some big breakout.
It does mean we don't have goal scorers heated up (nor playmaker JG) -- which meets the eye test thus far for this team.

Is the abundance of players in the bottom 102 more a function of shooting "luck" (PDO that will normalize over time), a function of adjusting to Pazzy's system, simply playing poorly. a lack of effort, or something else ?

It's some combination of things (but not lack of effort, just inefficient effort). But it sure seems like poor play (fumbling pucks, etc) is the largest culprit. Just no one going (except Boone on goal scoring if nothing else). Fantilli has been fine, results will come.
Hope I am wrong on the cause -- would be fantastic if this is nothing but puck luck and we see a goal scoring barrage for the next 70 games -- but not expecting it.

 

[Forepar]

I really like that Vincent seems to be able to communicate with the players he benches and leave them in an OK-not a defeated-state of mind. I base this on quotes from the players after their benchings.

I wasn't real gung ho with the Johnny Hockey signing. He had a career year in his contract year and was 29 years old heading into the first year of a seven year deal. I know that that's "the market" term for a player like him, but it isn't something that I'm keen on doing for someone like him. If he's not going to be a PPG player at his salary, then his contact will become an albatross for the CBJ.

I listened to some podcast a day or two ago in which the criticism of CBJ structure is that recent drafts and current coach are in the mold of building a Torts-like team (size/grit with skill), whereas the majority of our higher-end vets are more attuned to a higher skill/less grit game (JG, Laine, Werenski, Severson (oh my). The discussion focused on the JG signing as being outside the Torts/Pazzy/Jarmo mold. I don't agree with that analysis - in part because KJ (a recent draftee) would fit the same "skill" group. But at a minimum the lines often appear to have mismatched skillsets. I get that you may want a physical player on the ice with a line that has JG and KJ on it (well, when KJ gets back) to dig out pucks, etc., but our physical players aren't skilled enough or creative enough (at least yet) to play a JG/KJ skill game. And at least as now played, Pazzy's system, until it is fully implemented, doesn't seem to jive entirely with JG/KJ style of play. It doesn't help to have Laine out, whether at C or LW. He may not be physical but he is a large presence on the ice. Even if he's not on JG's line, JG benefits from Laine slotting somewhere in the lineup, as it re-slots a number of players.

 

[ViD]

Crazy to think his “real” stat line right now is 0+4 in 12 games with only goal being an ENG.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Crazy to think his “real” stat line right now is 0+4 in 12 games with only goal being an ENG.

Post Babcock Depression Syndrome. Happens Every Time.

 

[NotWendell]

Post Babcock Depression Syndrome. Happens Every Time.

We gotta be better.

 

[Marioesque]

We gotta be better.

These are good boys

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I listened to some podcast a day or two ago in which the criticism of CBJ structure is that recent drafts and current coach are in the mold of building a Torts-like team (size/grit with skill),

coach, yes.
drafts, no.

their recent picks – fantilli/jiricek notwithstanding – have trended pretty far away from size, and more towards a skill/iq/compete focus (kj, mateychuk, brindley, dumais, whitelaw all stick out in that regard).

that said, i don't think they'll necessarily play this tight forever. pazzy wants the team to buy into the same system – once they have (and once the young guys get comfortable) they'll be able to get a bit more aggressive since the staff and players will have more mutual trust.

But at a minimum the lines often appear to have mismatched skillsets. I get that you may want a physical player on the ice with a line that has JG and KJ on it (well, when KJ gets back) to dig out pucks, etc., but our physical players aren't skilled enough or creative enough (at least yet) to play a JG/KJ skill game.

my biggest issue with the lines is the insistence on having jenner and gaudreau together for this exact reason. boone's a very good player and his strengths, on paper, cover JG's weaknesses. but the team, overall, would be better if they split those two up.

 

[CBJx614]

coach, yes.
drafts, no.

their recent picks – fantilli/jiricek notwithstanding – have trended pretty far away from size, and more towards a skill/iq/compete focus (kj, mateychuk, brindley, dumais, whitelaw all stick out in that regard).

that said, i don't think they'll necessarily play this tight forever. pazzy wants the team to buy into the same system – once they have (and once the young guys get comfortable) they'll be able to get a bit more aggressive since the staff and players will have more mutual trust.

my biggest issue with the lines is the insistence on having jenner and gaudreau together for this exact reason. boone's a very good player and his strengths, on paper, cover JG's weaknesses. but the team, overall, would be better if they split those two up.

I really really really want to see Fantilli spend some time centering Gaudreau. I understand he would be getting harder matchups most likely but I really want to start developing their chemistry. Fantilli is able to play that bull in a china shop style, but he brings so much more skill than Jenner.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I really really really want to see Fantilli spend some time centering Gaudreau. I understand he would be getting harder matchups most likely but I really want to start developing their chemistry. Fantilli is able to play that bull in a china shop style, but he brings so much more skill than Jenner.

it's really dumb that they haven't tried them together yet. and i get that jack had a hot start but the 13-38-96 line hasn't been all that good over the last few games.

 

[ViD]

 

[majormajor]

This video is bullshit.

He set up two or three GRADE A chances that Roslovic failed to finish on. Last night might have been Gaudreau returning to form, and this youtuber is saying he was "an absolute ghost" last night.