Confirmed with Link: Matthew Highmore traded for Adam Gaudette

[Hawkaholic]

I don't know what you're talking about. They tried everything. They used him in the top6, the bottom 6, as a Center and as a Winger, they scratched him. Nothing worked. Benning gets a lot of heat for trading Gaudette but at the end of the day, he had no choice. Travis Green had zero desire to play Gaudette because Adam couldn't stick in any slot he gave him while the player still wanted more ice time. I also heard that he sees himself as a Center and that clearly doesn't help. He's a bad skater, can't win faceoffs and isn't reliable against the puck. Which was the initial reason why they exchanged him and Sutter to move Gaudette to the wing. They were just bleeding chances with him on the ice and Green had to stop it. But then Gaudette didn't respond very well to getting moved to the wing. I don't think he was very good on the forecheck, in board battles etc. and that's why he got scratched.

Maybe a change of scenery will help but it wasn't gonna work for him in Vancouver. Benning is a poor GM but his hands were kinda tied here. Keeping Gaudette wouldn't have helped anybody. Gaudette may have been a fan favourite but he wasn't the Coaches favourite and Adam himself was unhappy with his situation. Not sure what else Benning should have done.

It's simple, trade him for a player better than Highmore. Shouldn't have been that hard.

 

[Hinterland]

It's simple, trade him for a player better than Highmore. Shouldn't have been that hard.

I wouldn't even have traded Highmore for Gaudette. I'm not upset about the deal but I wouldn't have done it and I don't think there was a lot of interest in a player that failed to stick in what's a rather bad forward group.
They clearly gave up on the player and just took whatever they were able to get for him. I'd be shocked to learn there was actually serious interest in the player and that Benning turned down some amazing deals just to land Highmore

 

[BobbyJet]

I wouldn't even have traded Highmore for Gaudette. I'm not upset about the deal but I wouldn't have done it and I don't think there was a lot of interest in a player that failed to stick in what's a rather bad forward group.

Funny to me that TSN (can't remember exactly who) only talked about Highmore and that he was a good acquisition for Canucks. Gaudette was mentioned in name only, like he had no value. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[BK]

I wouldn't even have traded Highmore for Gaudette. I'm not upset about the deal but I wouldn't have done it and I don't think there was a lot of interest in a player that failed to stick in what's a rather bad forward group.

This is a joke right?

Gaudette had 33 points in 59 games last year and Highmore had 6 in 36 games...

 

[BobbyJet]

He's gonna have to. At Center, it's gonna be difficult for him. He's not a good skater and isn't particularly reliable against the puck. Can't win faceoffs either. Problem is that he wants to play Center and didn't respond very well when they moved him to the wing. He's gonna have to toughen up and adjust to playing in a bottom six on the wing or he's not gonna stick in the league for much longer. Vancouver clearly gave up on him. Blackhawks may be his last chance.

If the above is accurate I don't give Gaudette much of a chance to play here.

 

[Hinterland]

Funny to me that TSN (can't remember exactly who) only talked about Highmore and that he was a good acquisition for Canucks. Gaudette was mentioned in name only, like he had no value. Time will tell, I guess.

I'm convinced he has no value. Higher upside of course but value? I doubt that. Canucks wanted to get rid of him and the best they were able to get was Highmore. Them talking up Highmore as if he was something special is just politics. Saving face or whatever. Not even Benning is that dumb

I like Highmore but he's a 4th liner.

 

[Space umpire]

I don't know what you're talking about. They tried everything. They used him in the top6, the bottom 6, as a Center and as a Winger, they scratched him. Nothing worked. Benning gets a lot of heat for trading Gaudette but at the end of the day, he had no choice. Travis Green had zero desire to play Gaudette because Adam couldn't stick in any slot he gave him while the player still wanted more ice time. I also heard that he sees himself as a Center and that clearly doesn't help. He's a bad skater, can't win faceoffs and isn't reliable against the puck. Which was the initial reason why they exchanged him and Sutter to move Gaudette to the wing. They were just bleeding chances with him on the ice and Green had to stop it. But then Gaudette didn't respond very well to getting moved to the wing. I don't think he was very good on the forecheck, in board battles etc. and that's why he got scratched.

Maybe a change of scenery will help but it wasn't gonna work for him in Vancouver. Benning is a poor GM but his hands were kinda tied here. Keeping Gaudette wouldn't have helped anybody. Gaudette may have been a fan favourite but he wasn't the Coaches favourite and Adam himself was unhappy with his situation. Not sure what else Benning should have done.

I read your 1st two lines and stopped. I’ll believe the Canuck fans who watch every game.
Have a good day.

 

[Space umpire]

Funny to me that TSN (can't remember exactly who) only talked about Highmore and that he was a good acquisition for Canucks. Gaudette was mentioned in name only, like he had no value. Time will tell, I guess.

TSN is reporting for teams based in Canada.

 

[Hinterland]

This is a joke right?

Gaudette had 33 points in 59 games last year and Highmore had 6 in 36 games...

That's scoring. Away from the puck, it's a completely different story. Hasn't improved his overall game or his skating since entering the league and now, at age 24, his scoring is back to what it was in his rookie season. No wonder Travis Green gave up on him.

 

[Hinterland]

If the above is accurate I don't give Gaudette much of a chance to play here.

He'll get his chances anyway and he deserves that one more shot at the NHL but it may be his last one. Maybe the change of scenery is what he needed though. I think he could be a useful winger if he's prepared to toughen up and play with higher intensity, maybe work on his skating, too.

 

[BobbyJet]

TSN is reporting for teams based in Canada.

Not really. I find their NHL commentary to be mostly very good.

 

[Giovi]

I don't know what you're talking about. They tried everything. They used him in the top6, the bottom 6, as a Center and as a Winger, they scratched him. Nothing worked. Benning gets a lot of heat for trading Gaudette but at the end of the day, he had no choice. Travis Green had zero desire to play Gaudette because Adam couldn't stick in any slot he gave him while the player still wanted more ice time. I also heard that he sees himself as a Center and that clearly doesn't help. He's a bad skater, can't win faceoffs and isn't reliable against the puck. Which was the initial reason why they exchanged him and Sutter to move Gaudette to the wing. They were just bleeding chances with him on the ice and Green had to stop it. But then Gaudette didn't respond very well to getting moved to the wing. I don't think he was very good on the forecheck, in board battles etc. and that's why he got scratched.

Maybe a change of scenery will help but it wasn't gonna work for him in Vancouver. Benning is a poor GM but his hands were kinda tied here. Keeping Gaudette wouldn't have helped anybody. Gaudette may have been a fan favourite but he wasn't the Coaches favourite and Adam himself was unhappy with his situation. Not sure what else Benning should have done.

I've heard this elsewhere as well. He's definitely a reclamation project.

 

[Space umpire]

From the trade thread. But even better if you go the the Canucks page. It’s a running theme.

Gaudette has some skill and a ton of try, but it is all focused on offence. in a bygone era he would have been given rope to go try get his 30 goals then be hopefully taught defence, but he has not had that opportunity with the canucks. if anything, they've tried too hard to shape him into a responsible third line centre he is temperamentally not suited to be. that might be just just trying to get him focused enough on defence to be a modern era nhl player, but you got the feeling he was always in the dog house and was a player that management was forcing the coach to dress many nights.

he never earned or was given much ice time with the canucks. to a remarkable degree for a guy ostensibly dressing as a 3rd line centre he has been a sub 12 minute player regularly benched later in games that were even remotely close.

he has also been kept at centre rather than given more ice time as a winger. it seems the canucks did not think he could be a top 6 winger.

bottom line is that, except perhaps for body mass and definitely defence, he's an nhl player in all respects. he has enough shot, skating, motor and offensive iq. he sort of reminds me of certain russian skill guys that simply will not buy into the nhl system. maybe a different coach will coax it out of him

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

So the Hawks traded

Undrafted 4th line
Just a guy

for

5th round
Maybe a guy

Not a big deal. If Gaudette turns into something more than a 4th line "just a guy" then great. If he doesn't well you didn't lose much on the gamble.

 

[Giovi]

Not really. I find their NHL commentary to be mostly very good.

Watch Overdrive. Their bias toward commentary on Canadian teams is obvious. Especially when it comes to the Leafs. They're such a bunch of hapless homers.

 

[Hinterland]

I read your 1st two lines and stopped. I’ll believe the Canuck fans who watch every game.
Have a good day.

You can believe what you want but he did play all positions in Vancouver. A simple google search should do or look it up on dobbersports or wherever you like. At the end of the day he didn't stick. Travis Green may have been part of the problem, I don't know. But it wasn't gonna get any better in Vancouver.

 

[Hinterland]

So the Hawks traded

Undrafted 4th line
Just a guy

for

5th round
Maybe a guy

Not a big deal. If Gaudette turns into something more than a 4th line "just a guy" then great. If he doesn't well you didn't lose much on the gamble.

I agree. I'd have kept Highmore because I think he's a pretty handy 4th liner but it's not a big deal and Gaudette certainly has higher upside. And he's a righty, too.

 

[BK]

That's scoring. Away from the puck, it's a completely different story. Hasn't improved his overall game or his skating since entering the league and now, at age 24, his scoring is back to what it was in his rookie season. No wonder Travis Green gave up on him.

Highmore is not that good defensively.

 

[Hinterland]

Highmore is not that good defensively.

I disagree. Also doesn't make stupid mistakes and is a good skater. Not great but solid on the forecheck and in board battles. All of those things can't be said about Gaudette.

 

[RayP]

Highmore is not that good defensively.

Oh look who is back. We had a nice long break.


And you are correct, Highmore sucks on D and he tends to draw a lot of bad penalties while on D because he just doesn’t know where to be.

 

[Hinterland]

Oh look who is back. We had a nice long break.


And you are correct, Highmore sucks on D and he tends to draw a lot of bad penalties while on D because he just doesn’t know where to be.

Took 3 minors this season. One was a goaltender interference vs Columbus. Unless I'm confusing something, the one vs Dallas was in the offensive zone. The other one vs Columbus may have been in the defensive zone. I don't remember that one. Anyways, took 7 minors over 82 career games so you're talking out of your ass here.

 

[BK]

Oh look who is back. We had a nice long break.


And you are correct, Highmore sucks on D and he tends to draw a lot of bad penalties while on D because he just doesn’t know where to be.

Yeah.

 

[ClydeLee]

There's a reason Kampf and Carpenter pk and Highmore doesn't crest 30 seconds. He's a low iq guy. Does he skate fast and drive into the boards north/south sure. He doesn't create other than cycling around the net and doesn't play smart enough to really be a good defender

 

[SuterHaglshev]

GM's usually know before players do when a players time is up. Gaudette wasn't getting a 5th round pick. And this year is a bit different where guys like Gaudette under normal market conditions would return a 5th- 6th.

Sometimes GM's may take a Highmore instead of a 6th rounder to send a player like Gaudette somewhere advantageous where they can resurrect their career. The Hawks positioned themselves to be an organization patient with young talent.

 

[featherhawk]

Gaudette >>>Highmore