Johnny Hockey At WC

[foshizzle11]

JG is awesome. we are fortunate to have an awesome prospect our organization. He is NHL ready IMO and I can't wait until he is playing next season is for the flames. I just don't think he will be sent to the Heat for the season. Johnny hockey, your moves are elusive and godly! great tourney so far.

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

- Say my name.

- Well, it's not J-God.

- You're ***damn right.

[FlameZilla]

Just out of curiosity, which nickname was coined first: Johnny Hockey (for Gaudreau) or Johnny Football (for Manziel)?

[getbak]

Football

[ForeverFlameFan]

^, Pretty sure it was football.

[Zevo]

I thought it was Johnny Switchblade, adventure punk.

[4oh3]

New Jersey Johnny?

[iggyformayor]

Originally Posted by 4oh3

New Jersey Johnny?

[Icon]

Wish his middle name started with a B.

[sureLoss]

[FeyWest]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Good take by JG and solid pass!

[AcGold]

He has more pure skill than almost every player in the world... sometimes I find it hard to believe he's actually on the Flames. I was one of the most skeptical about him but not anymore at all, he'll sell tickets for years to come. The way he plays it's unlikely he gets injured too, he's too smart and fast to get caught like Kariya

[Table 5]

The more I see Johnny the more I think he's more of a playmaker/setup man than he is a finisher. He needs to play with someone who's smart enough to anticipate what Johnny will be doing and be able to finish off his passes. He's Makarov looking for a Gary Roberts.

Perhaps Monahan could be that guy. Or perhaps a shoot-first guy like Dal Colle (despite him also being a left winger).

[sa226]

It will be hotly debated about where Johnny should start next season. One thing going for him is the forward momentum of a freight train. Great final season of college, first NHL game, first NHL goal, impressive showing at the WHC and hopefully an intense summer workout program that should catapult him into training camp.

A huge part of prospect development is forward momentum. It could be argued that Backlund's arrival this year was a year or 2 late due to injuries. While Pat Seiloff should be a good NHLer, his Staph infection this year could derail his development by a year or 2.

Baertchi is a good counter argument, but in hindsight his momentum was stalled by other factors.

[Trailer Fire]

Originally Posted by AcGold

He has more pure skill than almost every player in the world... sometimes I find it hard to believe he's actually on the Flames. I was one of the most skeptical about him but not anymore at all, he'll sell tickets for years to come. The way he plays it's unlikely he gets injured too, he's too smart and fast to get caught like Kariya

Lets not go overboard here. He is good, no doubt. More pure skill than almost every player in the world? Even backpedaling with "sometimes" doesn't make up for that enormous overstatement. Let's try reeling in expectations a little bit. You're making it sound like you expect the kid to be the best player in the history of hockey. As I said, he is good, but how about we aim a little lower.

Also, Kariya was just as elusive as Johnny during his college career. Look how that turned out for Paul.

[sa226]

Being elusive doesn't save you from being cross checked in the face by Gary Suter.

[dammage79]

Or knocked into 2027 by Scott Stevens. But there's no Scott Stevens anymore so that's a bonus.

[FeyWest]

Originally Posted by sa226

Being elusive doesn't save you from being cross checked in the face by Gary Suter.

I don't understand the point of your comment here, this could happen to any player and be just as devastating no matter who you are (Well maybe not Mcgrattan )

Elusive means you don't have to crash and bang as much, it's definitely a boon towards being a smaller player, but had you said it doesn't save you when you're stuck in a board battle would have been a more reasonable statement because that actually relates to his size... (If that's what you were trying to refer to of course )

Either way we can be optimistic(or pessimistic if you like) but let's wait til the next couple seasons and see what he can do before singing his praises or condemning him.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Trailer Fire

Lets not go overboard here. He is good, no doubt. More pure skill than almost every player in the world? Even backpedaling with "sometimes" doesn't make up for that enormous overstatement. Let's try reeling in expectations a little bit. You're making it sound like you expect the kid to be the best player in the history of hockey. As I said, he is good, but how about we aim a little lower.

Also, Kariya was just as elusive as Johnny during his college career. Look how that turned out for Paul.

I'm not expecting him to be the best player ever, but how many people have the same talent with the puck on his stick? Please list them because I doubt there are ten. I have no idea what he'll become but his potential is sky high.

[SHOGUN]

I see him starting next season... depending how he does in the first several games, no shame in sending him down to Glens fall.