I've actually noticed that Johnny has been getting clocked quite a bit lately, and that's a bit concerning. Before this season, you could count the big hits against him on one hand. This season, pretty much every game he's taken a huge hit that's laid him out and he's slow to get up. Now there is a legit concern that he might have gotten concussed.
You never want to see this happen to any player. But at the same time he has a target on his back on every opposing team's whiteboard. Because Gaudreau is so elusive, opposing players try to play him extra hard, and hit to hurt. The hit last night was awkward, as when Rask made the save his pad pressed against Gaudreau's stick and caused his body to spin and take the hit head on. Also have to keep in mind that McCovoy just got danced around, so you can be sure he had a bit of extra steam coming at Gaudreau.
I'm not sure if Gaudreau is taking more hits because he thinks he can power through players, or he just hasn't been hit so often in the past that he's a bit more passive and unaware. But hopefully this is a wake-up call for him that he needs to constantly have his head on a swivel and be aware where players are on the ice.
Then again, maybe it's the universe finally balancing itself out since he's rarely gotten hit in the past. He's obviously still an elite talent and usually the best player on the ice. But the hits he's taken this season are a bit concerning to me.
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