Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
Gaudreau did that last year, but in previous years lack of time and space killed him when it was applied. It was a recurring complaint the previous two seasons. He'd constantly dish off too early or give the puck up. Having Lindholm as a C rather than a RW helped him a lot because there was a guy up ice he could dish to, as opposed to Monahan, who usually trailed.
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Yes, that's right. It's pretty easy to shut down any player in this league when you focus on shutting down one specific guy by double-triple teaming him. That's why I was always so harsh on his past linemates for not doing their fair share of the heavy lifting. That is up until Lindholm and Tkachuk entered the equation to help unlock his game. It's fascinating to watch how much a skilled player's game can be enhanced with an extra second or an extra foot or two of space.
That's why I think Huberdeau's game can still be saved, not sure it'll be here, but I do agree with the sentiment that he didn't just forget how to play. His game may not completely translate to playoff style hockey, but I think if he found his own version of "Matthew Tkachuk," then he should be a lot more productive than his current 53 point pace.