NY Times Gaudreau article. Update: response from Johnny

[TheDebaser]

As long as he signs here in the end, I support his decision 100%.

[Gaskal]

Disaster averted!

[stemit14]

I hope Johnny and Arnold both win the NCAA championship this year and sign after that. I'm sure we all want to see these guys play at the some NHL games before the end of this season but I think it would be best for them to have a summer to train and get ready before debuting in a flames sweater.

After how baertschi got treated this year after raising expectations so high with his first debut in the NHL, I would worry the same thing could happen to gaudreau. What if he played the last 7 games and got 11 points or something? We would all have him pencilled in as the top line left winger next year and it would add even more pressure on him.

We're all excited about this kid and I think it's right that we are because I think he is that good... But I also think we have to be patient as fans.

[FlameZilla]

I think everyone has tempered expectations about Gaudreau. I haven't seen too many people proclaiming him as the saviour of this franchise or anything silly like that.

Because of the lack of size factor, there's no way he'll ever be over-hyped. Until the day he's a regular player in the league there will be question-marks about his ability to compete in the NHL. I'm really excited to see if he can translate his game to the pros, but I'm not banking on it happening to the full extent. The excitement comes from the possibility that he lives up to – or exceeds – his potential.

[Delthefunky]

Well that sounds promising

[Coach]

"No real set decision yet of what I'm going to do."

I dunno. I think we should continue to panic.

[ClubFlames]

I have no doubts he signs with the Flames once BC is eliminated or wins the championship so I rather see Gaudreau in our silks next year than this year for a 4-5 game audition. A full summer of training + development camp + pro camp will give him a better idea how to approach his first pro year. Also, I want him to leave NCAA as a champion.

[Vinny01]

I want BC to win the championship on the back of an incredible run from Johnny in the tourney. Hopefully that means he can still goto Abby for the playoffs and get some experience at the pro level, have a huge summe, and compete for a spot in Calgary next fall

[Bingo]

I don't think he can go to the Heat is Agostino can't ...

I hope he gets turfed this weekend and plays with the Flames on the road trip. Selfish I know, but may as well have that Eastern swing past his parents carrot to dangle to get him signed.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I don't think he can go to the Heat is Agostino can't ...

I hope he gets turfed this weekend and plays with the Flames on the road trip. Selfish I know, but may as well have that Eastern swing past his parents carrot to dangle to get him signed.

Knowing Burke that will never happen.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

Knowing Burke that will never happen.

Is this because of the way he handled Agostino? You know the guy in the same situation that is currently on the Flames roster.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Is this because of the way he handled Agostino? You know the guy in the same situation that is currently on the Flames roster.

No idea what you are referring to but no I meant Burke has always stated he likes his prospects to get time in the AHL and with Gaudreau I imagine Burke would not throw him to the fire and have us have unrealistic expectations like we had with Baertschi.

[Red Ice Player]

I don't really want to see him in the pros until next year. Aside from the hockey geeks on this board and a few others, JG is completely unknown to the casual hockey fan around the league. I want to see the priceless WTF...where did they get this guy?!!! reaction around the league when Johnny Hockey gets unleashed on the NHL, whenever that will be.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

No idea what you are referring to but no I meant Burke has always stated he likes his prospects to get time in the AHL and with Gaudreau I imagine Burke would not throw him to the fire and have us have unrealistic expectations like we had with Baertschi.

He can't go to the Heat this year.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I don't think he can go to the Heat is Agostino can't ...

I hope he gets turfed this weekend and plays with the Flames on the road trip. Selfish I know, but may as well have that Eastern swing past his parents carrot to dangle to get him signed.

He can go to the Heat if his NHL contract starts next year and he signs an ATO with the Heat.

[Bingo]

I'm of the other mind where they are better getting a taste of NHL speed and size (strength) and then using that knowledge to prepare during the summer.

I'll admit though, the guys that did the best after the deadline last year are largely struggling this season so maybe I'm dead wrong (Baertschi/Cundari)

[sureLoss]

Burke on Johnny:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/20...O0K/story.html

“There is everything but his size to like about him,’’ said Burke, who generally prefers to stock his rosters with bigger, rougher sorts. “Sure, it’s a question. But his skill set is so high. His hockey IQ. His vision. His passing. His scoring. When he’s on the ice, he makes everyone around him dangerous. Will he fill out to, say, 180 pounds? Well, he hasn’t grown much in the last couple of years, so we’re not counting on that. But it’s reasonable to think he can add another 10 pounds of weight, muscle.


“You see him play, he leaps out at you. So it will be a challenge, but I’d say if there’s a kid who can do it, he’s the one.’’

York on Johnny compared to other former smaller BC players:

“Johnny is a little more cerebral. He sees things more and utilizes his other players more than, say, Atkinson and Gerbe and Gionta,’’ said York. “He is more of a chess player on the ice. Gionta, Gerbe, Atkinson all were little fire hydrants, where Johnny is just, well, there’s hardly anything to him at all. But he’s very elusive.

“His ability to create something out of nothing is incredible. He will see you over here, almost like a great point guard, like a Larry Bird or Magic [Johnson]. It surprises people. If it was a basketball [his passes] would hit you on the head.’’

Like many of the his best players over the years at BC, said York, Gaudreau also is without ego.

“If I brought you into our locker room and I walked you around the room and you thought, ‘OK, who is the difference-maker here?’ you’d walk right by him. His whole demeanor. He is very, very quiet. There’s nothing that would make you stop at his stall and say, ‘This guy is the difference-maker in tonight’s game.’ You’d never expect that. He just sort of blends in, where Gionta and Gerbe had more, ‘Hey, I’m standing up . . . I’m the guy.’ Their persona was like that. Then Johnny, the game starts and all of a sudden it’s, ‘Whoa! This is the guy . . . this is the guy!’ ’’

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm of the other mind where they are better getting a taste of NHL speed and size (strength) and then using that knowledge to prepare during the summer.

I'll admit though, the guys that did the best after the deadline last year are largely struggling this season so maybe I'm dead wrong (Baertschi/Cundari)

I think that's more a case of the individual in one case and the level of talent in the other.
Cundari is what he is, talent wise.
Baertschi needs to learn what it takes to be a pro - I don't think the talent is in question.
Obviously you don't go Kenny Powers with him and hand him the keys to the kingdom, but you give him a taste.
And give the fans something to be excited about

[sureLoss]

And I risk derailing the thread with this, but since his diet was brought up before. From the same article above:

The nation’s leading scorer can’t recall his father’s candy contrivance. Forever a picky eater, he still likes Skittles, ideally the orange variety. For the most part, he has switched to plain M&Ms, the BC trainer doling him out one bag per game.

As for lunch, that’s always the same.

“He never changes, four pieces of turkey on white bread,’’ said Kevin Hayes, the 6-4 right winger from Dorchester who fills out Gaudreau’s prolific line (68-105—173) with center Bill Arnold. “He walks in, and Carol, the lady behind the lunch counter, sees him, and she just puts the turkey on the bread, hands it to him, and that’s it. Same every day.’’

Russ DeRosa, the hockey squad’s strength and conditioning coach, has watched a committed, dedicated Gaudreau make solid gains in the weight room over three seasons. The pride of the Eagle offense has added about 10 pounds, said DeRosa, and made strides in his overall diet.

“He’s not the best at that, but he’s better,’’ said DeRosa. Our nutritionist is constantly reminding the players, ‘Drag your sandwich through the garden . . . get some color on your plate.’ We want them to add tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers. My office is near the lunch room, so it’s hard for them to sneak by me. But when we’re on the road, if we’re at the airport, if I go right, Johnny will go left so he can go eat what he wants and I can’t see him. But you’re not going to find better than Johnny — a talented kid with character to match the talent.’’

[868904]

Originally Posted by Red Ice Player

Aside from the hockey geeks on this board and a few others, JG is completely unknown to the casual hockey fan around the league.

I dot know about that. I was listening to NHL.com radio yesterday (first time ever) and the host was interviewing some other guy and constantly brought up Johnny hockey. Al Morganti has also been on the fan regularly and talks about him in a way of college celebrity.

College sports in the US is big, bigger than the NHL. I would think the casual sports fan in the US probably knows more of Johnny Hockey than any top Canadian prospect playing in the CHL.

I mean he's "Johnny Hockey", he's the hockey equivalent of "Johnny Football", the most talked about college football prospect in the past few years. The NY Times has interviewed his mom, that's pretty big.