[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think he’s a great offensive player but flawed otherwise and doesn’t do all he can to maximize his talent

What do you think is flawed with him and what would you like to see him do more of?

Also how do you reconcile your opinions of him with statements like these:

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill had the chance to coach Gaudreau in the world championships this past spring and liked him even more than he had before.

"I loved him," Blashill said. "I didn't know how hard he worked every single day. His track, he's been well-coached, his track is awesome. He works so hard on the back check. I knew he had real good ability, I'd seen him play since he was a youngster going back to midgets but then in Dubuque for sure. I was so impressed with his work ethic and his will to win. It's awesome. Can't say enough good things about him."

In 2010-11 with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints, Gaudreau had 36 goals and 36 assists in 60 games.

Last season, Gaudreau had 18 goals among 61 points in 72 games.

With Team USA in the world championships, Gaudreau was tied for sixth in scoring with six goals and five assists in eight games.

Dylan Larkin had two goals and eight assists in those eight games.

"You learn how good he is," Larkin said. "I played with him both at the world championships and the World Cup. He's so good at seeing the ice and moving around and cutting back. He's probably one of the best at cutting back and kind of self-cycling. He's a dangerous player every time he's on the ice. What amazes me is his stick is so short that guys try and reach and go stick on puck and he just finds a way to pull it so close to his body and go underneath their sticks. It's amazing. Fun player to watch."

What is less fun is trying to find a way to defend Gaudreau.

"You got to skate with him, you've got to move your feet to defend," Larkin said. "I've seen him avoid tons of hits, you can't really get a hold of him. But you got to skate to defend him."

Said Justin Abdelkader: "It's tough. You want to make sure you're staying above him and making it hard, try and take his time and space away, not giving him room like players like."

Gaudreau has four assists in five career games against the Wings.

The Flames are 5-0-0-0 when Gaudreau collects two or more points.

"I think just his shiftiness, being a smaller guy, bigger guys have a real big problem kind of getting in front of him and playing physical on him," Scott Wilson said. "The style he plays, that's really one of the only things that would frustrate a guy like that is to play physical on him. You just got to be careful when he's out there, kind of like most of the other top guys in the league, have kind of a second awareness when somebody like that is on the ice."

https://www.nhl.com/redwings/news/no...au/c-292798194