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Old 08-09-2019, 01:01 PM   #101
Jore
First Line Centre
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root View Post
Keep in mind that Gaudreau is a pretty big liability with respect to zone exits. Sure, if they can get the puck to him in the neutral zone, then he is elite at zone entries. But having him on your line, with respect to zone exits, is a liability.

This is an example of why stats have to be taken in context.
With all due respect, I've seen pretty much every game Gaudreau has played since he joined the team in the last 2014 season game against the Canucks, and I don't know how you can say this.



The problem for the Flames isn't that Gaudreau is a "liability" in zone exits. He's actually among the best in the league at it. It's the Flames lack the ability on that line to dig down low and recover the puck and possibly get past the opposition F1 forechecker to open up options for zone exits. Monahan has never done a convincing job at it, and in the regular season deferring to Gaudreau all the time is fine, but we all see what happens with tighter checking in the playoffs.
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