Theo Fleury: Why Johnny Gaudreau has it easier

[Arya Stark]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/t...small-players/

Be warned this is one of those annoying links that automatically start a video.

“There’s only one Theo Fleury,” says the one Theo Fleury, when asked about the Flames’ new diminutive talent. “He has less challenges now than I ever did. I was carrying 250-pound defencemen on my back night after night because of the hooking and holding.”

“I love the era I played in. I think I played in the greatest era of talent in the history of the game,” says Fleury, a point-a-game player through 1,084 games. “I was considered one of those guys who had incredible talent, incredible ability. But a guy like Johnny Gaudreau can play in the NHL right now. He couldn’t play in the era that I played in, unless he changed his style of game.”


Sometimes Fleury needs a filter and needs to realize how arrogant he sounds when he talks even if what he says is true.

[GioforPM]

Theo had a little help from the pharmacy.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/t...small-players/

Be warned this is one of those annoying links that automatically start a video.

“There’s only one Theo Fleury,” says the one Theo Fleury, when asked about the Flames’ new diminutive talent. “He has less challenges now than I ever did. I was carrying 250-pound defencemen on my back night after night because of the hooking and holding.”

“I love the era I played in. I think I played in the greatest era of talent in the history of the game,” says Fleury, a point-a-game player through 1,084 games. “I was considered one of those guys who had incredible talent, incredible ability. But a guy like Johnny Gaudreau can play in the NHL right now. He couldn’t play in the era that I played in, unless he changed his style of game.”


Sometimes Fleury needs a filter and needs to realize how arrogant he sounds when he talks even if what he says is true.

He's always been cocky, that was makes Theo, Theo. Had to be cocky to overcome everything he did. Also, he isn't wrong.

[Scoreface]

What he says carries a lot of truth, but at the same token, he couldn't get away with all the same stuff in today's game. But like he said, nor could guys that played against him so...

[Brewmaster]

Theo has to make everything about himself. Can't he just enjoy the success of another small talented Flame without pumping his own tires?

[JiriHrdina]

Would be nice if Theo could say something that wasn't about Theo from time to time

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Brewmaster

Theo has to make everything about himself. Can't he just enjoy the success of another small talented Flame without pumping his own tires?

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Would be nice if Theo could say something that wasn't about Theo from time to time

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=141216

[Table 5]

Funny, in the article a few days ago, I was thinking to myself that it was it was great to see how Theo focused on Johnny and didnt find a way to make it about himself. These comments are more of what the cynical side of me was expecting. I guess if you give him enough time and copy, he'll always find a way to circle back.

[chubeyr1]

I liked Theo as a hockey player but not as a person.

Stupid comments. In the 80's half the guys on the ice could not skate. Goons were used to protect super skilled guys like Gretzky. Gretzky would be no where near the player in todays nhl. He would still be damn good but no 200 point seasons for sure!

Players never ran skilled players, if they did it was a bench clearing brawl.

Theo was a midget with a mouth, he beaked guys off and ran away and let Hunter, Sheehy, Fotio, Peplinski, Otto, and probably 5 other guys I cant recall at this time fight his battles for him.

Gaudreau has it way tougher. Elbow he caught from Corrado would of been a brawl in the 80's. It went unanswered. He does not have the protection players had in the 80's.

Christ in the 80's Engelland and Smid would be top pairing dmen!

[browna]

Exihibit A (actually, probably B,C or X) why the Flames don't "honor" Fleury. Not for having an opinion, but his reluctance to give any credit or recognition to to the Flames organization, or his teammates through the years, sometimes rather the exact opposite, and at best, making it all about him.

Given all the issues with him the at the Flames kept quiet/handled internally for his 10 years here, and he rips them/makes things about him and him alone, as quickly as someone sticks a mic in his face.

His ripping of Conroy and Regher 4 months after suiting up beside them (in exhibition) was especially telling 4 or so years ago.

[FlamesAddiction]

It's true that the NHL implemented rule changes to help players like Gaudreau.

But right now, most players in the NHL are more skilled and have better conditioning than the top players in the 1980s and 1990s. It's hard to know where Fleury would fit in today just like it is hard to know if Gaudreau could have played in that era.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by browna

His ripping of Conroy and Regher 4 months after suiting up beside them (in exhibition) was especially telling 4 or so years ago.

Yeah, that one really made me wince.

Wow, what a year! At this time last year, I was 45 pounds overweight and thinking about making a comeback. HAHAHAHA! Anyway, we put our nose to the grindstone and boy did we make a comeback. At one hundred and eighty pounds, I finished 11th out of 56 guys at camp in the fitness test and scored a historic shootout goal in an exhibition game after being out of hockey for six years. What does that say about the talent level in the NHL? 4 points and a plus 4 rating in four exhibition games and I get cut. What a joke! Craig Conroy goes the first 37 games of the season with zero goals. I wonder how many I would have had. Even with all the stupid people that run the game of hockey, it’s still a great game. Go figure. Anyway, then the book comes out and starts flying off the shelves. The truth will set you free! 100,000 copies and counting. Thank you for all your support.

from: http://www.matchsticksandgasoline.co...s-craig-conroy

Manages to insult the NHL, Conroy, and the Flames at the same time. I bet every time he says something like this, the Flames add another 5 years to the waiting list for him to get honored in some way.

[Mister Yamoto]

The Flames should "Forever A Flame" #14 ASAP. Kent Nilsson was an amazing hockey player and the first star player that the Flames ever had.

[Finger Cookin]

There are only 6 players in the NHL currently that weigh over 250 pounds. I don't think there were any when Theo played.

http://www.sportingcharts.com/articl...n-the-nhl.aspx

[theoforever]

Originally Posted by chubeyr1

I liked Theo as a hockey player but not as a person.

Stupid comments. In the 80's half the guys on the ice could not skate. Goons were used to protect super skilled guys like Gretzky. Gretzky would be no where near the player in todays nhl. He would still be damn good but no 200 point seasons for sure!

Players never ran skilled players, if they did it was a bench clearing brawl.

Theo was a midget with a mouth, he beaked guys off and ran away and let Hunter, Sheehy, Fotio, Peplinski, Otto, and probably 5 other guys I cant recall at this time fight his battles for him.

Gaudreau has it way tougher. Elbow he caught from Corrado would of been a brawl in the 80's. It went unanswered. He does not have the protection players had in the 80's.

Christ in the 80's Engelland and Smid would be top pairing dmen!

Not true. Pound for pound Theo was the toughest guy on the ice. He didn't ran away in fact he instigated all the time. He went after guys way bigger than him. He was all heart. If you going to insult the guy, get the facts right. Theo is right, Johnny would have a hard time surviving back then.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Manages to insult the NHL, Conroy, and the Flames at the same time. I bet every time he says something like this, the Flames add another 5 years to the waiting list for him to get honored in some way.

There's a reason why Chicago, Colorado and New York wanted nothing to do with him while he was filming his documentary and didn't let him on their property.

Not to mention the fact that Fleury turned around once it was released and said the documentary wasn't up to his standards and it wasn't the way he wanted to be portrayed.

As they say, fooled me once shame on you. Fooled me twice....

[Arya Stark]

Originally Posted by theoforever

Not true. Pound for pound Theo was the toughest guy on the ice. He didn't ran away in fact he instigated all the time. He went after guys way bigger than him. He was all heart. If you going to insult the guy, get the facts right. Theo is right, Johnny would have a hard time surviving back then.

And an over weight, out of shape, drug abusing drunk Theo Fleury would have a hard time succeeding in today's game.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Mister Yamoto

The Flames should "Forever A Flame" #14 ASAP. Kent Nilsson was an amazing hockey player and the first star player that the Flames ever had.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=123253

Without taking this off track, some similar skating to JG...the goal against the Canadiens near the end of the video (the fans going nuts as he's on the breakaway is beauty) is a pretty similar skating style, along with the speed and goalies who were outclassed by that sort of skill (such a pretty goal regardless).

[Vulcan]

I think some of you guys are overreacting to what Fleury has to say. Yeah he's got a big ego but that goes with the territory of playing pro sports. Some just hide it a lot better and it's easy to see he likes the current Flames and Gaudreau.

[theoforever]

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

And an over weight, out of shape, drug abusing drunk Theo Fleury would have a hard time succeeding in today's game.

You kidding right. He was fast, wasn't fat back then. Played great despite everything. Players used to smoke between shifts too. If Fleury, one of the top players all time couldn't cut it today, you are saying that 99% of past players could not cut it today, right.