Quote:
Originally Posted by GullFoss
Great write up. I'd echo the concerns around Johnny. He's getting points, but not driving play. And that's the big change from years prior where he looked Hart calibre for long stretches. It would be great to see a deep dive into this. Possible options include:
- bad luck
- regression after a career year
- a fall off in conditioning
- issues with the mental side of the game
- opposing teams have figured out a game plan and player needs to adjust
- flames have asked the first line to change up their style of play one that allows for them to be more effective in playoff hockey and johnny is working through the transition
My bet is on #2. Johnny isn't feeling it. Given that I've never seen Johnny play this poorly for this long, it makes me think the issues might actually be partly non-hockey related.
The silver lining is that Monahan and lindholm have taken big steps forward, so if Johnny can find his old game, that line could be unreal.
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These things are always due to more than one factor, but I think the mental side is the big issue for not only Gaudreau, but others in the team's core.
When I coach kids I always tell them to ignore the scoreboard when a game goes against you early. Keep playing the way we can play and things will take care of themselves. The human nature is to go individual and force things, we certainly saw that with Gaudreau in the playoffs last year.
Right now he's getting some bad bounces, but he's also forcing things a bit. Driving play isn't taking what isn't there, it's his ability to process at a fast pace and realize what is there.
When he's feeling it he sees the game at a 360 level. When he's not it's closer to 90.