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

[Mr Snrub]

Just figured I'd chime in but the reason hockey players aren't lineman-sized isn't because they're not lifting weights frequently, it's because every game and scrimmage is some of the best and most efficient conditioning you can do. Every pound they add to their frame is sheer muscle because every game is like an interval workout.

They may not do a bodybuilding routine but to say that they aren't adding size by lifting heavy is ridiculous. Jankowski is more than 40lbs heavier now than he was on draft day, I can guarantee to you that didn't happen by him doing balance training and hitting the treadmill five days a week.

 

[lightstorm]

Gaudrea needs to improve his shot too. After three seasons pretty well everyone has a book on him and they know that he's more likely to pass than shoot. More upper body strength will make his wrist shot quicker and harder. He's not playing against college goalies anymore. Most everyone who makes it to the NHL needs to get stronger. Not sure why so many people seem to think Gaudreau's should be the exception. I'm not saying he should look like a pro wrestler but I don't think an extra 10 lbs of muscle would be too difficult to add.

Just my opinion. Right now Johnny's got a wrist shot that's about as hard as a muffin and he looks like he's never lifted a set of weights in his life.

Because he's a Flame and people are homers? Just guessing.

RNH has been piled on and rightly so as weak, and he has a few inches and pounds on Johnny.

Anaheim rendered him completely ineffective, boggles the mind that people don't see it as concerning.

 

[djpatm]

It's not that we don't see it as concern, its that you're not going to fix it.

Gaudreau will never be a big guy. He's done growing. This is who he is.

Team are only able to render him ineffective when his linemates aren't playing well and they can focus all of their attention on smothering Gaudreau. Johnny is great at getting a quick tape to tape pass away before the defenders can take away his space but if his team mates aren't in position then the play is broken up.

My concern is this team will never go any where without a Gaudreau calibre player on Johnny's wing which doesn't seem to be of much concern to management. I think that will be the hole that holds this team back just like never finding a center for Iginla. We had a great D-core on paper then to but we failed at filling that hole and that core never won a cup.

 

[Rangediddy]

It's not that we don't see it as concern, its that you're not going to fix it.

Gaudreau will never be a big guy. He's done growing. This is who he is.

Team are only able to render him ineffective when his linemates aren't playing well and they can focus all of their attention on smothering Gaudreau. Johnny is great at getting a quick tape to tape pass away before the defenders can take away his space but if his team mates aren't in position then the play is broken up.

My concern is this team will never go any where without a Gaudreau calibre player on Johnny's wing which doesn't seem to be of much concern to management. I think that will be the hole that holds this team back just like never finding a center for Iginla. We had a great D-core on paper then to but we failed at filling that hole and that core never won a cup.

We all know that they did though...

 

[Rubi]

Was listening to Fan960 on the way to work this morning and Rhett Warner was saying that Gaudreau has to improve his shot because basically its a muffin and as a defenseman he'd just defend against the pass when Johnny has the puck because he can't shoot.

 

[JPeeper]

The guy plays with a child's stick and weighs 160 pounds soaking wet. Obviously his shot is a muffin. He scored 30 goals with that muffin of a shot.

Brouwer, who has one of the hardest shots on the flames barely scores with it. Bollig when he was here had the hardest wrist shot and never scored.

It's about accuracy and when to shoot and Gaudreau is better than most at when to shoot and is extremely accurate with it.

I'm not concerned.

McDavid has a muffin of a shot as well and he is doing fine.

 

[Mobiandi]

Gaudreau's shooting a lot more this year which is good. But personally I think the only way he gets close to 30 again is if he starts playing RW

 

[Rubi]

The guy plays with a child's stick and weighs 160 pounds soaking wet. Obviously his shot is a muffin. He scored 30 goals with that muffin of a shot.

NHL D-men now have a book on JG. On the rush they know that the best thing to do, when Johnny has the puck, is to defend against the pass because every d-man in the league knows that Johnny's shot is weak. Force him to shoot, by clogging up the passing lane, and let the goalie handle the muffin shot. Frankly I can't remember the last time JG scored on a rush. If JG doesn't do something to improve his shot, he'll be lucky to score 15 goals in a season, let alone 30. He's become way to predictable. Johnny Hockey's not playing college hockey anymore.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

NHL D-men now have a book on JG. On the rush they know that the best thing to do, when Johnny has the puck, is to defend against the pass because every d-man in the league knows that Johnny's shot is weak. Force him to shoot, by clogging up the passing lane, and let the goalie handle the muffin shot. Frankly I can't remember the last time JG scored on a rush. If JG doesn't do something to improve his shot, he'll be lucky to score 15 goals in a season, let alone 30. He's become way to predictable. Johnny Hockey's not playing college hockey anymore.

Poor kid has become so predictable that he's got 11 points in 8 games, and even with dmen having "a book" on him (if we choose to believe that narrative) he's scoring on 10% of his shots, which puts him at a 20 goal pace, not "lucky to score 15".

He might not be quite as electric as he was when he first broke in, but he'll be fine.

 

[Shawnofthedeadz]

I disagree with people saying he can't develop a shot, look at Cammalleri, who is the same size but much stronger. While Gaudreau is a better stick handler and skater if he improved his strength so he could shoot 2/3 like Cammalleri he would easily be a lot more deadlier on the ice. Right now his shot feels no where close.

I also don't recall another small player, Martin St. Louis, having such a muffin either.

I think we all feel Johnny has the potential to be an elite offensive threat, but some of us don't think he is there yet, myself included. I agree with those saying more muscle could help him get there.

 

[Anglesmith]

I disagree with people saying he can't develop a shot, look at Cammalleri, who is the same size but much stronger. While Gaudreau is a better stick handler and skater if he improved his strength so he could shoot 2/3 like Cammalleri he would easily be a lot more deadlier on the ice. Right now his shot feels no where close.

I also don't recall another small player, Martin St. Louis, having such a muffin either.

I think we all feel Johnny has the potential to be an elite offensive threat, but some of us don't think he is there yet, myself included. I agree with those saying more muscle could help him get there.

Thing is, Cammy has a completely different build than Johnny. Cammalleri is closer to Marty St. Louis. Johnny is unique in how tiny he is. He would really have to put on weight to be comparable to Cammy.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Thing is, Cammy has a completely different build than Johnny. Cammalleri is closer to Marty St. Louis. Johnny is unique in how tiny he is. He would really have to put on weight to be comparable to Cammy.

And putting on that kind of weight might really hamper the parts of his game that make him so good. (like his edgework).

 

[JPeeper]

Gaudreau doesn't have the frame or genetics that St. Louis and Cammy have.

Unless he roided hard He isn't getting much thicker than he is now even with weights. Can't really fight genetics without after curricular help.

Theo was another stocky thick small guy.

Same thing with Phillips. He just doesn't have the build or genetics to be super thick.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I mean, if he became Cammy, he wouldn’t be Johnny.

 

[CalgarySnow]

Gaudreau needs to work on his backhand, it’s so weak and not turning over the puck in a panic because somebody is about to hit him

 

[InfinityIggy]

Gaudreau needs to work on his backhand, it’s so weak and not turning over the puck in a panic because somebody is about to hit him

His shot in general is really under-powered. Something for him to work on for sure.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I mean, if he became Cammy, he wouldn’t be Johnny.

I mean, if he added Cammy's shooting repertoire and center of gravity to his own edgework, vision, creativity, and anticipation, he would be the Hart frontrunner. Gaudreau+Cammy is basically a mini Crosby.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Martin St. Louis wasn't always built like a fire hydrant, but his career took off after putting on muscle.

I'd be curious to see Gaudreau with another 20 lbs of non-Skittles weight on his frame.

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

I think he needs to get stronger, not because of his regular season play, but because teams play him more physically in the playoffs and he's easy to neutralize.

 

[Tofveve]

Martin St. Louis wasn't always built like a fire hydrant, but his career took off after putting on muscle.

I'd be curious to see Gaudreau with another 20 lbs of non-Skittles weight on his frame.

Wow, this what I've been trying to say, essentially. But I'm not asking for the 20lbs, just another 5-10 of muscle.

 

[Rubi]

I was a bit hungry so I thought I would bump this thread so I can eat a little humble pie.
Gaudreau has been playing great and is on a goal scoring tear! In the last 5 games he's scored 6 goals, in the last 10 games he's scored 8, and he's got a 16.7 shooting %. Sitting at 10 goals over 20 games puts him in 15th place in the league.

I don't know what kind of training program he was on over the summer, if any, but this year he seems quicker and his shot deadlier. He also seems to be shooting more too... which is good because I think he was becoming much too predictable.

 

[Anglesmith]

I was a bit hungry so I thought I would bump this thread so I can eat a little humble pie.
Gaudreau has been playing great and is on a goal scoring tear! In the last 5 games he's scored 6 goals, in the last 10 games he's scored 8, and he's got a 16.7 shooting %. Sitting at 10 goals over 20 games puts him in 15th place in the league.

I don't know what kind of training program he was on over the summer, if any, but this year he seems quicker and his shot deadlier. He also seems to be shooting more too... which is good because I think he was becoming much too predictable.

It's the new "not getting slashed repeatedly in the hands" diet.

 

[Calculon]

Could be that Jagr also provided a little extra motivation

 

[Tofveve]

Could be that Jagr also provided a little extra motivation

That's really cool.

 

[Tofveve]

It's the new "not getting slashed repeatedly in the hands" diet.

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.