Player Discussion Adam Gaudette, Pt. II

[HockeyWooot]

With a player like Gaudette it’s a bit tricky.
I don’t love Sutter at 3C that much more to be honest

We need to patient with his development. He is a better player than he was this time last year. The areas to improve such as skating and strength will normally improve in an offseason rather intraseason.

I do wonder if Green will trust him in key games down the stretch or platoon him and Sutter on wing.

Miller Pettersson Boeser
Pearson Horvat Eriksson
Gaudette Sutter Virtanen
Roussel Beagle Ferland

 

[Lupuls Grit]

Curious. If you could be Travis Green for game 1 of the Playoffs - and assuming a healthy group of forwards - where do you play Gaudette? For me, he's a healthy scratch and I roll with Sutter as my 3C and Beagle as my 4C.

 

[VanJack]

The problem with the third line isn't Gaudette, its his wingers. Roussel is a favorite of Green...but let's face it, he's been virtually invisible with the exception of a few games immediately after he returned from injury....and what he's doing on the second unit pp, is a complete head-scratcher.

And on the other wing, Boeser looked totally lost there....and they haven't left Virtanen on that line for it to ever develop some chemistry. They need to find Gaudette a couple of decent wingers and roll with it....too bad about Leivo and Motte....they'd have been perfect candidates to leave on that line permanently....but maybe Ferland's return will help.

 

[Tobi Wan Kenobi]

With a player like Gaudette it’s a bit tricky.
I don’t love Sutter at 3C that much more to be honest

We need to patient with his development. He is a better player than he was this time last year. The areas to improve such as skating and strength will normally improve in an offseason rather intraseason.

I do wonder if Green will trust him in key games down the stretch or platoon him and Sutter on wing.

Miller Pettersson Boeser
Pearson Horvat Eriksson
Gaudette Sutter Virtanen
Roussel Beagle Ferland

Ferland is a lot better than Eriksson and would be a waste on the fourth line. I'd rather put him in an offensive role

 

[VancouverJagger]

The problem with the third line isn't Gaudette, its his wingers. Roussel is a favorite of Green...but let's face it, he's been virtually invisible with the exception of a few games immediately after he returned from injury....and what he's doing on the second unit pp, is a complete head-scratcher.

And on the other wing, Boeser looked totally lost there....and they haven't left Virtanen on that line for it to ever develop some chemistry. They need to find Gaudette a couple of decent wingers and roll with it....too bad about Leivo and Motte....they'd have been perfect candidates to leave on that line permanently....but maybe Ferland's return will help.

I agree with why on earth Roussl is on the second PP unit. What is up with that? Ugh..........And yeah it would be nice if Gaudette had some consistency in terms of linemates however Gaudette hasn't really been doing that line any favors either lately.

 

[I am toxic]

Curious. If you could be Travis Green for game 1 of the Playoffs - and assuming a healthy group of forwards - where do you play Gaudette? For me, he's a healthy scratch and I roll with Sutter as my 3C and Beagle as my 4C.

Gaud at 3C
Sutter at 4C
Beagle ready to step in when injuries hit

 

[Lupuls Grit]

Gaud at 3C
Sutter at 4C
Beagle ready to step in when injuries hit

Interesting. You have much more faith in him than I do right now. Who would you ideally put on his wings? Because right now his line gets destroyed most of the time in terms of possession.

 

[ErrantShepherd]

Gaud at 3C
Sutter at 4C
Beagle ready to step in when injuries hit

That's my ideal... but I don't know that they will healthy scratch Beagle.

Really neither the 3C or 4C are playing at the level they were earlier in the season. They need to get something going for both of those lines soon or its going to cost us.

 

[deckercky]

The problem with the third line isn't Gaudette, its his wingers. Roussel is a favorite of Green...but let's face it, he's been virtually invisible with the exception of a few games immediately after he returned from injury....and what he's doing on the second unit pp, is a complete head-scratcher.

And on the other wing, Boeser looked totally lost there....and they haven't left Virtanen on that line for it to ever develop some chemistry. They need to find Gaudette a couple of decent wingers and roll with it....too bad about Leivo and Motte....they'd have been perfect candidates to leave on that line permanently....but maybe Ferland's return will help.

If Gaudette needs better wingers than Roussel and Boeser, we have a real problem. They haven't been playing up to their standard, but that's a legitimate first line winger who proven he can drive offence on his own, and a well-established 2nd/3rd line tweener.

As long as the first and second lines are performing, I think Green needs to give the line as much time as it needs to gel. That's three smart players with decent to great offensive tools who should work together.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

The problem with the third line isn't Gaudette, its his wingers. Roussel is a favorite of Green...but let's face it, he's been virtually invisible with the exception of a few games immediately after he returned from injury....and what he's doing on the second unit pp, is a complete head-scratcher.

And on the other wing, Boeser looked totally lost there....and they haven't left Virtanen on that line for it to ever develop some chemistry. They need to find Gaudette a couple of decent wingers and roll with it....too bad about Leivo and Motte....they'd have been perfect candidates to leave on that line permanently....but maybe Ferland's return will help.

It’s the other way around
Gaudette doesn’t have the playmaking ability as a center to make his line a consistent scoring threat

 

[Canucks1096]

The problem with the third line isn't Gaudette, its his wingers. Roussel is a favorite of Green...but let's face it, he's been virtually invisible with the exception of a few games immediately after he returned from injury....and what he's doing on the second unit pp, is a complete head-scratcher.

And on the other wing, Boeser looked totally lost there....and they haven't left Virtanen on that line for it to ever develop some chemistry. They need to find Gaudette a couple of decent wingers and roll with it....too bad about Leivo and Motte....they'd have been perfect candidates to leave on that line permanently....but maybe Ferland's return will help.

This post show how biased you are, you have your Gaudette glasses on. Wow just wow. Gaudette is low end to average third line center and Boeser is a 1st line winger. Yet it is Boeser fault that the line is not working. You do realize Gaudette been struggling his whole nhl career 5 on 5. Even his first 20 games hot start, a lot of it came on the pp. This season he has 10 or 11 even strength points. I don't even need to check and know that is low end to a high end 4th line center production. Of course the third line will struggle if you have a low end to average third line center on it.

Come on, Gaudette most frequent line since Gaudette came to the nhl was Virtanen. They had lots of games to develope chemistry. Checked the ice time on Natural stat trick.

If you think about it, if Gaudette need perfect wingers to produce and Boeser looks lost wih him. Maybe and just Maybe Gaudette is just not that Good? Can you take that into consideration. A few months ago lot of people were saying second line center and taking over Horvat spot. I believe you were one of them. I am hoping you don't think that no more. Gaudette has 2 G 8 A 10 P in last 28 games. He has been struggling after his hot start.

 

[Tables of Stats]

Gaudette has 2 G 8 A 10 P in last 28 games. He has been struggling after his hot start.

That's still a 29 point pace, which isn't bad for a 3rd liner who still hasn't found his scoring touch at 5-on-5.

 

[NUhockey]

Faceoffs are over glorified but that 40% clip is not great. He looked invisible against Boston but everyone did.

He's still been decent as a 3C. He's an impact forward but would like him to reach that extra gear and earn more meaningful minutes from Green.

While Leivo is out I think they should try Sutter at 3C and have him out for a moment at 3LW.

 

[I am toxic]

Interesting. You have much more faith in him than I do right now. Who would you ideally put on his wings? Because right now his line gets destroyed most of the time in terms of possession.

Leivo and Ferland if healthy?

Loui /Sven if either/both of the above are injured come playoffs.

Jake with Miller/EP so not him.

Brock with Pearson/Horvat so not him.

 

[VancouverJagger]

He's been pretty "Meh" lately for me...........last game in particular he was very frustrating..........sooo close on a number of occasions but just couldn't seem to put it together.

 

[MS]

The problem with calling Gaudette the '#3 center' is that he actually hasn't been when Beagle is healthy. Beagle gets more minutes pretty much every night, and Gaudette is playing 10-11 minutes as what is actually the 4th line center. And his production has to be taken in that context.

 

[tantalum]

We've definitely seen some improvement in his game. I wonder, however, if it's going to be enough for the coaching stuff down the stretch when the intensity will ramp up. Do they see an ability in him to raise his play accordingly or do they think he's going to trail behind? I'm not sure where their thinking lies right now but I would not be shocked to see them start to move Sutter back to center.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Gaudette has been solid, not sure what happened to Russell he’s really struggling.

 

[F A N]

not sure what happened to Russell he’s really struggling.

He is coming back from major surgery, couldn't train in the summer, missed training camp, and missed the first few months of the season. He himself said he's rusty and his legs aren't always there. Hopefully it's just rust. He relies on his ability to move his feet and get to pucks. Knee injuries can cause a player like him to rapidly decline.

 

[VanJack]

He is coming back from major surgery, couldn't train in the summer, missed training camp, and missed the first few months of the season. He himself said he's rusty and his legs aren't always there. Hopefully it's just rust. He relies on his ability to move his feet and get to pucks. Knee injuries can cause a player like him to rapidly decline.

The sad reality is that Roussel has had a lot more injuries, than just blowing out his knee. Concussions have also been a lingering issue throughout his career. Obviously this a problem for a player who plays a combative, agitating style of game.

But that didn't stop Jimbo from offering up another ridiculous contract with a four year term. I share your concern about what happens next for Roussel. He just turned 30, a point at which the cumulative effect of the injuries and the toll of games on the body can bring about a rapid decline.

If he loses a step and can no longer play that aggravating, physical game that has kept him in the league, then the last two years of that contract could get really ugly fast.

 

[M2Beezy]

Gaudette is definitely in a rutt right now. I thought the game against Boston was kinda his problems: he had lots of hussle but a lotta it was useless and as some of his critics have said the main thing he is missing: results. All that hussle needs some results and he goes really streaky for periods of time

Perhaps he is a bit more of a project then first looked like when was exploding in North Eastern. I think is the kinda guy we dont give up on and may be a nother late bloomer and will continue to improve, but at a slower pace then most players

Then again a lotta other fans always include him in trade proposals against the Canucks so i think he does catch peoples eye with his game. I think the best bet is to keep challenging him, maybe a benching and be patient with his progress

 

[Canucks1096]

Sutter on 1st pp unit and not Gaudette

 

[vanuck]

Sutter on 1st pp unit and not Gaudette

Based on this season so far, I would've liked to see Green try Gaudette there instead.

 

[bandwagonesque]

Based on this season so far, I would've liked to see Green try Gaudette there instead.

Definitely. Gaudette can create a shot, or find his teammates and keep the puck cycling. Sutter can't.

 

[Canucks1096]

The problem with calling Gaudette the '#3 center' is that he actually hasn't been when Beagle is healthy. Beagle gets more minutes pretty much every night, and Gaudette is playing 10-11 minutes as what is actually the 4th line center. And his production has to be taken in that context.

True however 4th line centers don't get 2nd pp unit time, also they don't play with second and third best wingers on the team Boeser/Virtanen, also they get don't get close to 60% ozone starts. We need to take all that into context as well.