"Johnny Hockey" turning heads - TSN article

[Arya Stark]

Nice little write up from TSN.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=461898

The 21-year-old has great vision on the ice and seems to have the puck on a string at times, but said his size has always been an issue.
"With every small player you definitely need to show people you can play," said Gaudreau. "Because you're a smaller guy you're at a disadvantage and you need to be better offensively, defensively, at making plays and stuff like that. It's every small guy's problem."

Other players at the rookie tournament took notice of his talents, including Oilers draft pick Leon Draisaitl, who played against Gaudreau's U.S. team as a member of the German squad at the world championships this spring.

"He's small, tiny, and probably one of the most skilled guys I've ever seen," said Draisaitl. "That game we played against him he had four points against us and was by far the best player on the ice."

[Gaskal]

"(The nickname) is kind of cool, unless you've got (teammates) tweeting from my Twitter that 'I am Johnny Hockey' and no one knows it's them tweeting it," said Gaudreau. "That's probably one of the downfalls of it, but other than that it's something special and unique."

Oh boy Johnny, just you wait. Bennett's probably an even bigger prankster than Monahan.

[djsFlames]

"He's small, tiny, and probably one of the most skilled guys I've ever seen," said Draisaitl. "That game we played against him he had four points against us and was by far the best player on the ice."

Neat quote from the new Oilers poster boy.

[Poe969]

So did Draisaiitl openly say that Johnny was better than him?

[CliffFletcher]

I actually like Draisaitl. He comes across in interviews as very thoughtful and well-spoken. It's a real shame he's an Oiler now.

[saillias]

Germans are the anti-Russian

[djsFlames]

Seems too smart and honest to be Oilers property. Perhaps someone up there will beat him over the head with a club. He won't fit in, otherwise, and will soon want out.

[H2SO4(aq)]

I remember the good old days when his mom wasnt gonna let him play and he would leave in free agency and any thread like this would already be 6 pages long.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I actually like Draisaitl. He comes across in interviews as very thoughtful and well-spoken. It's a real shame he's an Oiler now.

I definitely would have liked him as a pick too if Bennett was picked by the Oilers. But, the Oilers made it completely obvious before the draft that they wanted LD.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Seems too smart and honest to be Oilers property. Perhaps someone up there will beat him over the head with a club. He won't fit in, otherwise, and will soon want out.

Maybe he will at the 2nd annual Ference Camp?

[saskflames69]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I actually like Draisaitl. He comes across in interviews as very thoughtful and well-spoken. It's a real shame he's an Oiler now.

Apparently he's a really fun guy to be around. I know tons of people from PA who have talked to him either in school or at the rink and they all say great things about him. I can't help but feel sorry for the guy knowing he's had to go through the experience that is Prince Albert in his junior days only to end up as an Edmonton Oiler.