LW Johnny Gaudreau (2011, 104th overall, Calgary) II

[ecemleafs]

even on delayed penalty calls against him he draws tripping penalties lol. hes so elusive.

 

[2023FriendshipTour]

As a Flames fan... The hype is getting a bit insane and this is coming from a Flames fan that is hoping that we have an elite first liner on are hands. I do think Johnny will be an NHLer, but not sure to what degree. He will be an extremely effective PP specialist if nothing else, but he does have to put some size on. The kid has extreme skill, which we all know, but when you start playing elite D man like a Sutter or Weber that are able to neutralize a players skill.. who knows how well it will translate with being so small.

Here's hoping he ends up being a stud though!

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

The key difference between the two is hockey IQ. While a smart player in his own right, Comrie gets blown away here. Gaudreau's vision with the puck and ability to get open are literally generational, perhaps even exceeding that of Crosby.

What? Maybe let him play a full season before even saying he's top 50 in the NHL in terms of vision/ability to get open.

 

[Del Preston]

1. That Germany team with 0 NHL players would would have probably beat the US (mostly NHL players) by a score of 4-1 were it not for Gaudreau. They were a decent team.

2. If the competition is so weak, then why aren't any of the dozens of NHL players, some of whom are stars, outscoring Johnny Gaudreau. They play the weaker opponents as well.

3. How are the other premier NHL prospects doing? Didn't see Kuznetsov among the scoring leaders, and I think he's a terrific talent.

I didn't say the competition was weak. The point is I don't think you can use the World Championships as an indication of what he'll be able to do at the NHL level because, while the talent level is still good, it's not what he'll be up against in the NHL. That's all.

 

[Dangles McGavin]

This thread is probably the funniest thing I’ve ever read on HF.

I’m reading and with each post, the hype is jumping SIGNIFICANTLY higher. Giroux… Datsyuk… better than Crosby… GRETZKY.

Not that they aren’t fair comparisons (from my VERY limited viewings of Gaudreau, the Gretzky comparison stylistically is somewhat accurate IMO).

I hope he makes it. It’s always fun to see an underdog become something special. Good luck Johnny Gretzky.

 

[emmjayb]

This thread is probably the funniest thing I’ve ever read on HF.

I’m reading and with each post, the hype is jumping SIGNIFICANTLY higher. Giroux… Datsyuk… better than Crosby… GRETZKY.

Not that they aren’t fair comparisons (from my VERY limited viewings of Gaudreau, the Gretzky comparison stylistically is somewhat accurate IMO).

I hope he makes it. It’s always fun to see an underdog become something special. Good luck Johnny Gretzky.

I knew I had to take it to the next level by invoking one of the all-time greats.... Dats, Giroux, Crosby etc. just didn't cut it in my books. This is THE Johnny Hockey we're dealing with! Ultimately, I went with the Gretzky (style) comparison because I just didn't really see a comparison to Lemieux/Howe/Orr/Hasek going anywhere.... not that I didn't think about trying (for example, I bet he weighs the same as Hasek did in his prime!)...

 

[GetThePuckOut]

I know I'm gonna get bashed for saying this, but he honestly doesn't even remind me of a hockey player. I think the best comparison for him is Luke Skywalker. Not the biggest guy, but he just has this feel for the game like a 6th sense. He deflects shots so well too, similar to how Luke deflects lasers with his lightSabre.

 

[Patmac40]

I know I'm gonna get bashed for saying this, but he honestly doesn't even remind me of a hockey player. I think the best comparison for him is Luke Skywalker. Not the biggest guy, but he just has this feel for the game like a 6th sense. He deflects shots so well too, similar to how Luke deflects lasers with his lightSabre.

He does have great hand(s).

 

[RedHawkDown]

The hype is now insane. If he doesn't score at least 50pts in his first season, people will be screaming bust.

 

[Trae]

Comparing him to Luke is completely unreasonable. I wish everyone would stop hyping him, nobody even knows if he's going to be a Jedi or not, so let's try and temper expectations please

 

[Random Forest]

I'm probably going to be seen to be taking the hype to an even higher level (yes, it is possible) but I'm really not..... here goes.

To me, the best comparisons in terms of how he plays, skates, sees the ice, etc., is Gretzky (light, light, light). And yes, I am old enough to remember Gretzky from his first day in the NHL. Johnny's quickness, elusiveness, ability to avoid the big hit (we hope!); stop and turn on a dime, find the open man all reminiscent of Gretzky to me. And, he just continually makes plays that make you ask "how the eff did he do that; what did I just see?!?!!" ... just like Gretzky continually did in his heyday (not the post-Kings Gretzky, who was a different and much lesser animal).

Now, the BIG qualifier. Gretzky is one of the 3 best of all-time (and very likely THE best)... Gaudreau may or may not be a legit NHLer, way too early to tell. Virtually all of the above praise is against non-NHL competition, remains to be seen if he can do same against the big boys. So I'm not saying he is or will be as good as Gretzky, not even close, he won't be, not even close. Regular 60-70 pt. guy with maybe a season or two over 80 at his peak is best anyone could realistically hope for.

But in terms of STYLE of play, its who he reminds me of. Other player that comes to mind (if you remove the grit and tenacity) is Gilmour (who I always thought was Gretzky (light, light, plus grit).

Totally agree. I've been making this comparison for a few months.

There isn't a player in today's game who Gaudreau matches up with stylistically. Gaudreau's elusiveness is unlike any player in the league right now. Gretzky is the only one who is comparable in that sense.

 

[Walkingthroughforest]

This thread is probably the funniest thing I’ve ever read on HF.

I’m reading and with each post, the hype is jumping SIGNIFICANTLY higher. Giroux… Datsyuk… better than Crosby… GRETZKY.

Not that they aren’t fair comparisons (from my VERY limited viewings of Gaudreau, the Gretzky comparison stylistically is somewhat accurate IMO).

I hope he makes it. It’s always fun to see an underdog become something special. Good luck Johnny Gretzky.

Even as a Flames fan, it's hilarious. He has all the tools to be a great player, but I'd still be happy with just a top six winger

 

[Paxon]

 

[MC Ride]

It makes me really happy that it's mostly non flames fans that are hyping him. Only problem is, if he scores under 60 points, people will start calling him a bust

 

[Walkingthroughforest]

It's Gaudreaumania!

 

[InfinityIggy]

What do you call a Wayne Gretzky with 10 arms, 10 legs, 5 Hockey Sticks, and an IQ of 180?
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.
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.
.
.
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.
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.
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Johnny Gaudreau.

 

[Mathmew Purrrr Oh]

I know I'm gonna get bashed for saying this, but he honestly doesn't even remind me of a hockey player. I think the best comparison for him is Luke Skywalker. Not the biggest guy, but he just has this feel for the game like a 6th sense. He deflects shots so well too, similar to how Luke deflects lasers with his lightSabre.

eh Yoda is the better comparable

pretty self-effacing and inconspicuous until it's time to do battle. Then it's like a legion of flying squirrels coming at you with heaps of agility, lightning-like quickness, and endless creativity

also, he's the same height

 

[Hope4thebest]

Could Mike Ribeiro be a good comparison?

He is elusive, avoid check, see play really well and is not what you could call a puck hound. Ribeiro has this kind of 6th sense for where the play is going.

And the carreer totals of Ribeiro are that of a top 6 player who can play 1st line minute but is more of a pp specialist.

What do you think?

 

[CornKicker]

gordie howe and bobby orr both wear Johnny Hockey PJ's

 

[CornKicker]

Could Mike Ribeiro be a good comparison?

He is elusive, avoid check, see play really well and is not what you could call a puck hound. Ribeiro has this kind of 6th sense for where the play is going.

And the carreer totals of Ribeiro are that of a top 6 player who can play 1st line minute but is more of a pp specialist.

What do you think?

i havent seen Johnny Hockey lay on the ice and wiggle his arm like a broken chicken wing in the playoffs yet but maybe?

 

[HockeyGuy1975]

Could Mike Ribeiro be a good comparison?

He is elusive, avoid check, see play really well and is not what you could call a puck hound. Ribeiro has this kind of 6th sense for where the play is going.

And the carreer totals of Ribeiro are that of a top 6 player who can play 1st line minute but is more of a pp specialist.

What do you think?

From a vision perspective, yes. But Guadreau has much more goalscoring abilities, whereas Ribeiro is a pure passer. Perhaps another good comparison is Zigmund Palffy for those of you old enough to remember.

As a side note, I find it incredibly pathetic how every mention of Ribeiro ends up with some 'funny guy' comment about Ribeiro faking an injury, as if he is the only player to pull that bs.

 

[Walkingthroughforest]

Alright, it looks like it's time for thread #3!

 

[GetThePuckOut]

The Gaudfather III

 

[JawandaPuck]

III: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1676363