We KNOW Johnny is small. Give it a rest already Burke. So annoying.
In all fairness to Burke, he responded to a question asking if we do re-signed Cammy, with other small guys like Byron and Hudler on the team, would we be able to slot in yet another small player like Gaudreau since he wants the team to be bigger.
In which he responded that calling JG small is charitable - he is tiny. He also pointed out that although he is a slippery player and doesn't get hit often, he still did get hit really hard twice during the WHC, both of which me managed to skate away from. He also pointed out that players in the NHL don't care who you are or the fact that you've won a Hobey Baker - they think "Small, let's hit him."
It's not like he came up to the podium and said, "Thank you for coming ladies and gentlemen. BTW, did I mention that I think Johnny Gaudreau is teeny tiny?" I think we keep hearing him say it because people keep asking the question.
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And if some no-name call-up trying to make his name runs a Flame from behind and is subsequently pummeled by Mr McGrattan, basic common sense suggests that the guy is less likely to do it again.
When has this ever happened? I don't recall McGrattan doing this even once in between friendly head pats after a fight precipitated by nothing.
“Toughness” in hockey is valued to a borderline comical degree, but amongst the majority of hockey people the concept is often misunderstood. It’s not just fans who associate the trait with knuckle-hucking face-punchers, meaning somehow guys like Brian McGrattan have NHL jobs. True hockey toughness, the kind that really matters, is found in the players who are willing to win races to pucks. ... And, if you think about a guy like Patrice Bergeron, one of hockey’s best play drivers, you’ll note that winning those races to the touch has consequences. When you look at him in playoffs last year - a broken rib, torn cartilage, a separated shoulder, and a pneumothorax – you understand there’s a cost for always having the stones to be the first guy on the puck. You get hit. You get hit, and you get hit, and you get hit. And getting hit hurts. It takes the wind out of you, it saps your energy, and you can get injured. It’s real easy to be the second guy in on a puck race, rattle the glass and get that crowd roaring. Nobody roars for the touch. If you’re a hockey team that lacks toughness, you shouldn’t be looking to add raw size, or a fighter, or anything of the sort. You need players, no matter their size, who are tough enough to take those hits to make those plays. Hockey games are decided by five or ten plays that often come down to an inch, or a “barely.” The problem is, you rarely know when you’re in one of those moments. So all you can do is be first on the puck over, and over, and over again. The guys who commit to doing that are the league’s toughest players.
Kind of shows why Sam Bennett has become arguably the top rated forward in this draft as he exudes those qualities.
Which is silly unless they want to try and claim that there were absolutely no late hits, cheap shots, dirty plays, or run goalies (which there were).
McGrattan did jack squat except for his cute lil' friendly head-pat worthy tilts against other goons (none of whom, nor McGrattan for that matter, had done anything those games that would justify punching them in the face). I don't have any objection to fighting in general but the team shouldn't be employing bad below replacement-level players like Westgarth & McGrattan to do nothing positive on balance while on the ice. If they want to have a goon fine... just go out and at least get one that can play the guys opposite him to a draw.
Yeah - the argument McGrattan is a deterrent who will beat up any offender has no merit, so far, that I've seen.
McGrattan's opponents the past three seasons:
McLaren
Bordeleau x2
Gazdic
Barch
Bollig
McIlrath (rookie, but mutual fight)
Sestito x4
Engelland
Peluso
Allen
Janssen
Parros x2
Rosehill
Boll
Reaves
None of those guys are considered non-fighters, and in none of the fights did his opponent receive a penalty precipitating the fight.
Even if you consider McGrattan's own penalties over those 3 seasons:
Tripping x2
Cross checking
Roughing x3
Boarding x2
Elbowing major
Interference major
He is the best fighter in the league, but skill wise he is also nothing more than an entertainer who brings a lovable character to the dressing room. If teams are scared of him, that's their own fault - they should look forward to having a liability on the ice with them. I suppose one could say he wasn't presented the opportunity to "police" the other team because nothing occurred on his watch, but I don't have a good enough memory to support or refute that.
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If McGrattan isn't a deterrent and teams should just make the Flames pay by putting a good line out against them, so they can cash in, why did Torts not put out the Sedins? He didn't put out the Sedins because he was afraid of what could happen to them.
Hockey is a game of intimidation as well as the so called skill aspects but if any of you just like the skill part, go watch the Swedish Hockey League and get bored to death.
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If I wasn't so lazy I'd look up the last 10 cup winning teams (or even SCF matchups) and see how many "pure" fighters and/or goons like McGrattan/Westgarth were on them. That may present a strong argument one way or another.
EDIT: Here you go, if someone wants to do more research...off the top of my head most of these teams had no straight-up fighters. Including Kings/Rangers this year. They either had toughness throughout their lineups (ie. Bruins, Flyers, Kings) or were skill teams (Hawks, Wings, Pens).
Chicago, Boston, LA and Detroit for sure didn't. Pittsburgh didn't because I think Godard was gone by then. Anaheim and Carolina I can't remember. Tampa didn't, but we had Oliwa. McGrattan was in Ottawa that year but played 0 playoff games.
edit: Godard was still in Pittsburgh, but no playoff games.
Yeah... I won't say there isn't room for a McGrattan on a team with a very young lineup, like the Flames. But please not two!
There is no room on a contender for one, in the lineup anyway..
If I wasn't so lazy I'd look up the last 10 cup winning teams (or even SCF matchups) and see how many "pure" fighters and/or goons like McGrattan/Westgarth were on them. That may present a strong argument one way or another.
You might recognize the second-last name...
He was injured early in the season and didn't play any games in the playoffs, but they still put his name on the Cup.
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Nah. Very nonsensical really. For someone to be a blowhard, one has to blow hard, which Burke often does. If he stopped blowing hard, he would cease to be a blowhard.
It would be impressive to see how quickly you would pat yourself on the back if that happened though.
Swing and a miss. What are you even talking about?
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If McGrattan isn't a deterrent and teams should just make the Flames pay by putting a good line out against them, so they can cash in, why did Torts not put out the Sedins? He didn't put out the Sedins because he was afraid of what could happen to them.
Hockey is a game of intimidation as well as the so called skill aspects but if any of you just like the skill part, go watch the Swedish Hockey League and get bored to death.
Has everyone received their confirmation for tomorrow night's session? I have not yet received anything.
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