Arnold/Gaudreau signing watch

[Hugh Jahrmes]

I want to see him crush the doubters, but would be 100% fine with a year or two with the heat to work on bulking up and adjust to a heavier schedule

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I was meaning that number will be zero soon...

Great. But unfortunately, the disappointment that was Alexandre Daigle ensures that the number will always be at least one.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Great. But unfortunately, the disappointment that was Alexandre Daigle ensures that the number will always be at least one.

Reading comprehension at 4ish in the morning is a little off.

I replied before they included Daigle in the edit so I didn't see that that was the one that he was referring to. I was assuming that Gaudreau was the "one" that was being referred to as the non-star.

[Flames Fan in Exile]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I'd love it if the organization brought Fleury in to offer some words of wisdom for Johnny at some point. But how awesome would it be if he went 1 up and took #14?

No.

[Falcon 55]

Where are they now? The last four Hobey Baker winners have a total of 70 NHL games. With Blake Geoffrion having 53 of those before getting injured. It takes a lot just to make an NHL roster much less stick and be a star.

[bubbsy]

it's so hard to be conservative in the optimism, but i think we all should be patient with the kid. It is going to take some time to get used to the size/speed that is required to be successful in the NHL.

I am just excited to hopefully watch him learn the ropes, and ideally, succeed at the next level of his career.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

it's so hard to be conservative in the optimism, but i think we all should be patient with the kid. It is going to take some time to get used to the size/speed that is required to be successful in the NHL.

I am just excited to hopefully watch him learn the ropes, and ideally, succeed at the next level of his career.

Definitely. Look how long it's taken Byron to adjust. He's not in the same class skill wise, but he's just now looking like an nhler. I'd be shocked if there weren't bumps along the way.

[formulate]

Originally Posted by Falcon 55

Where are they now? The last four Hobey Baker winners have a total of 70 NHL games. With Blake Geoffrion having 53 of those before getting injured. It takes a lot just to make an NHL roster much less stick and be a star.

While this is true, it's worth noting the age at which most of the others won the award. Johnny started and ended his (likely) Hobey-winning season as a 20-year-old junior.

The last 20-year-old was Ryan Miller as a sophomore.
Before that was Paul Kariya as a teenage wunderkind.

Not bad company...

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by TheKing

What has Johnny done? Hmmm. NCAA NHLE is the closest to the AHL and he's put points in 30+ games while breaking all kinds of records that haven't been touched in years.

Secondly, Gaudreau’s current NHLE sits in a comparable class with Patrick Kane, Brett Hull, Eric Lindros, Theo Fleury, Joe Sakic, Ray Whitney, Sidney Crosby and many other notable players from the last 30 years.

Obviously it’s a different game from when most of those players reached the 60+ NHLE.
In fact, there’s only been four players to reach the mark in the past 15 years, which likely means the lower leagues likely had different translation factors back in the day. Therefore, hitting the 60+ NHLE mark in today’s modern era is all that more impressive.

I'm not saying he is going to be that good, nobody knows, but his potential is there and he has shown that, there's a reason he's #1 in scoring.

What he said.

Harder to put up ppg totals in NCAA than CHL.
Simply tougher competition, older stronger players.
The question is will his game translate, given size. The talent is generational. His size an incredible obstacle to realizing it.
Someone talked about floor, saying Arnold floor is higher. And it is. JG's floor is lighting it up in Europe, but his ceiling is higher than any Flames prospect in years.

[Textcritic]

Holy cow. Boomer already delivering a eulogy on the expectation that Gaudreau will spurn the Flames tomorrow.

God. This can't get done soon enough. Not because I am concerned about his status with the Flames, but just to finally, for good, shut up the hand-wringers.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Falcon 55

Where are they now? The last four Hobey Baker winners have a total of 70 NHL games. With Blake Geoffrion having 53 of those before getting injured. It takes a lot just to make an NHL roster much less stick and be a star.

The last six Hobey Baker winners were seniors. Gaudreau is a juniour, and he should have won the award last year as a 19-year-old. These ARE NOT comparable situations.

[tvp2003]

Regarding the whole flight thing -- not to be a Debbie Downer, but does scheduling someone for a flight really mean much? I think we can assume the Flames WANT Johnny playing in Sunday's game, and will obviously do everything necessary to make that happen. But if Conroy (and Hanlon?) are already in Philly on an exclusive chartered jet, I would be surprised if they DIDN'T have those seats already "reserved" for Gaudreau/Arnold/company to be coming back with them. It's not like these are seats on WestJet that they need to figure out and book in advance.

Maybe the source has more specific info but this may not be any different than having a hockey bag packed, jersey crested, and locker stall ready to go. He still needs to sign first.

[Burke Salad]

It feels like Christmas morning, do I get the much coveted Atari 2600 or a big pack of underwear from the SAAN store?

[saXon]

Originally Posted by Burke Salad

It feels like Christmas morning, do I get the much coveted Atari 2600 or a big pack of underwear from the SAAN store?

I got the Atari 2600. Today, I will again, Johnny will sign.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Regarding the whole flight thing -- not to be a Debbie Downer, but does scheduling someone for a flight really mean much? I think we can assume the Flames WANT Johnny playing in Sunday's game, and will obviously do everything necessary to make that happen. But if Conroy (and Hanlon?) are already in Philly on an exclusive chartered jet, I would be surprised if they DIDN'T have those seats already "reserved" for Gaudreau/Arnold/company to be coming back with them. It's not like these are seats on WestJet that they need to figure out and book in advance.

Maybe the source has more specific info but this may not be any different than having a hockey bag packed, jersey crested, and locker stall ready to go. He still needs to sign first.

Unless Johnny and his family are paying their share of the flight, once he steps foot on that charter, he will lose his NCAA eligibility. That means his BC career is over.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Unless Johnny and his family are paying their share of the flight, once he steps foot on that charter, he will lose his NCAA eligibility. That means his BC career is over.

Exactly. He's either under contract and headed to Vancouver, or he doesn't show up at the gate.
Can't ride without paying the fare

[RyZ]

Why hasnt Arnold signed yet? I thought that would have happened yesterday. Is that concerning at all?

[Racki]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Why hasnt Arnold signed yet? I thought that would have happened yesterday. Is that concerning at all?

I really hope it's just cause they wanna make a big splash and have them both show up together tomorrow. I just want this thing done one way or another.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Holy cow. Boomer already delivering a eulogy on the expectation that Gaudreau will spurn the Flames tomorrow.

God. This can't get done soon enough. Not because I am concerned about his status with the Flames, but just to finally, for good, shut up the hand-wringers.

No kidding. I sat down while he was in discussion and by the way he was talking it sounded like Johnny made the decision to go back for another year of school. The 960 guys really don't think he's going to sign.

[SuperMatt18]

It would have been around 9 ET after the finished up all if their stuff after the game last night, it is now only 930AM ET the day after the game.

I wouldn't be concerned yet that nothing has been announced, it's not like the were going to sign immediately after losing a heartbreaker