There's no questioning Gaudreau's talent, the question is, can that talent be translated to the top league in the world, vs, say, being a top player in the second best league.
Size is part of that determining factor, but I think the game right now lends itself to his particular brand of high-skill, low-size hockey.
I think the comparisons to Pat Kane are pretty good, IF he's able to translate.
No one is denying his ability, the only question is, can a guy his size survive the NHL schedule, or, can he put in the effort necessary to add some of the size that will help him survive.
The thing about Gaudreau is, I think, the type of game he plays is the most likely to translate to the NHL. A sort of ultra-high level in and out of coverage player, not necessarily an end to end scorer in the kariya/kessel kind of way. He seems to play the same type (note I am not comparing him to Datsyuk), of game as a guy like Datsyuk. Small explosions of effort or skill.
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