Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinordi
If you don't have that player you then need at least one game breaker. Gaudreau is the closest we have but there were some extremely worrying signs from him last season and especially last playoffs. Patrick Kane he is not.
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Again leaving aside the important context that we're talking about a young player just three seasons into his NHL career with room to improve and mature,
Gaudreau did struggle in the playoffs this year.
As did then-reigning Art Ross winner Pat Kane.
They had identical stat lines in the playoffs this year with just 2 points in 4 games as their teams were swept. It happens sometimes to the best of players.
With the context that we're looking at a young player who struggled through his first contract dispute and an injury this season, I think the rational view-point is that we can expect Gaudreau to rebound and continue to improve as a player.
The suggestions he's topped out and can be classified as being a tier short of being a game breaker by several people in this thread is really an extreme negative viewpoint. He's shown the ability to be a game-breaker very early in his young career.