[News] With the 104th overall pick, the Flames select LW John Gaudreau

[868904]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

Yeah. Its almost a good thing that hes so ridiculously small that no NHL player would want to take cheap shots at him, as it would only garner the opposite of bragging rights.

Unless you are human trash, like Frank Corrado.

I still want blood for that. Oh my, i'm sounding like a Canuck fan? Over-reacting to something insignificant, shame on me.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by 868904

Unless you are human trash, like Frank Corrado.

I still want blood for that. Oh my, i'm sounding like a Canuck fan? Over-reacting to something insignificant, shame on me.

Or Diane Phaneuf, he was pretty active with the slashes to JGs hands when we played them.

[polak]

He played pretty great last night. Wish he scored on that end to end rush.

He's gonna be a star. Can we start calling him White Dwarf? It works on so many levels.

[sec304]

Kevin Weekes article "Friday Four" about four NHL topics weekly that catch his eye

http://www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?...d=nhl:topheads

"1.Johnny Gaudreau is unbelievable.

This is not a trend or just a hot streak, he's the real deal. He's the real deal. Obviously he was last year at Boston College, but when you consider his path and you consider that he's playing in the Western Conference it is just amazing what he's able to do."

[firebug]

Quite a memorable practice for my son's hockey team last night!

Johnny Hockey visits Atom Team <-Warning: link to the Calgary Sun Article ;-)

[Rerun]

I hope the Flames put him on some kind of weight training regimen this summer with a professional trainer. An extra 10 lbs of muscle would help a lot. He's just too skinny.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I hope the Flames put him on some kind of weight training regimen this summer with a professional trainer. An extra 10 lbs of muscle would help a lot. He's just too skinny.

Thats not his game, I think hes perfectly fine just the way he is.

[Trailer Fire]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I hope the Flames put him on some kind of weight training regimen this summer with a professional trainer. An extra 10 lbs of muscle would help a lot. He's just too skinny.

End extra 20 lbs of muscle screwed up Theo's game. Johnny's game is quickness and agility. Extra muscle would likely slow him down and reduce his mobility.

[Matata]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I hope the Flames put him on some kind of weight training regimen this summer with a professional trainer. An extra 10 lbs of muscle would help a lot. He's just too skinny.

Mackinnon put on 10 lbs in the summer and it hasn't helped him at all. Johnny will still be much smaller and weaker than everyone else even with another 10-15 lbs. I think he's pretty much at the weight he wants to be at, the NCAA schedule gave him plenty of time to hit the gym and bulk up a bit.

[Matata]

nmd

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I hope the Flames put him on some kind of weight training regimen this summer with a professional trainer. An extra 10 lbs of muscle would help a lot. He's just too skinny.

Doesn't seem to be hurting him. Was actually having this cover station with a buddy a few weeks ago. Actually think that Johnny might be so small, that his size actually doesn't hurt but help him. If he was a little bigger, he'd be easier to hit etc..., but it's almost like he's so tiny it makes it too hard to get a piece of him and allows him to just slip through where as even a slightly bigger guy gets clipped.

Anyway, probably not true, but it seems that way.

[Street Pharmacist]

As for injuries, I get that people are concerned, but bigger athletes get hurt far more often than small ones. I'm not concerned

[FBI]

Yeah if he gains 15 pounds and loses a bit of speed. That might be the difference between dodging that big check or not. Like that spinorama dodge he did the other day.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

As for injuries, I get that people are concerned, but bigger athletes get hurt far more often than small ones. I'm not concerned

Its all about balance. Being heavier than your body-type naturally accommodates can be a lot rougher on your joints and can limit flexibility.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Locke

Its all about balance. Being heavier than your body-type naturally accommodates can be a lot rougher on your joints and can limit flexibility.

Totally. It sounds like common sense, but I'm not sure that being smaller makes you more likely to get hurt. Just looking at injury lists seems to suggest otherwise

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats not his game, I think hes perfectly fine just the way he is.

Being small may be working to his advantage. Except for the odd player, it seems obvious that most players seem to respect him and his ability, and don't go out of their way to abuse him. Another possible deterrent is that it would probably reflect quite poorly on some great big player to go out of his way to hit and possibly injure him. His ability is attracting considerable attention throughout the league, and it would negatively affect all players, to some degree, if he was suddenly put out of commission.

[Iggy Snipe]

Gaudreau plays a very smart game. He doesn't put himself in situations to get hit hard. He is always moving, and he will not go and get the puck in the corner just to take a hit. He times it so maybe the defender gets there a second first and he then will try and pick the defenders pocket with his stick to avoid the body check. He does this quite often through out games. He knows how to play a style to suit himself to be successful and to keep his injury risk minimal. He doesn't play a risky hard nosed game. He plays a very smart game, and is explosive on the rush using his speed and shiftiness.

He will probably gain a few pounds to get stronger, but nothing substantial enough to change his game. Bigger players who get into the physicality of the game more, are more susceptible to getting injured. The more body contact you have with other players, the more risk you have to getting hurt. If you play in the danger areas a lot, you will take more of a beating.

Guadreau steers clear of that. He has to, and he is successful doing it.

[Goodlad]

It's pretty telling that the biggest hit laid on him was by a guy who is equally shifty....Datsyuk.

[Rerun]

I would feel a bit more comfortable with Johnny at 160 lbs than at his current 150. I don't think adding 10 lbs of muscle would inhibit his game whatsoever. Who knows... it may even help in certain situations.

[JohnnySkittles]

He's fine the way he is. He plays a game where strength isn't a big need. If he was a 6'3 scrawny power forward then yes, obviously. Maybe work on his core and such but he doesn't need 10+ pounds of muscle, some players just don't need it. Tyler Sequin put on 10 + pounds of muscle one season, around 205 pounds, and he said that he couldn't play his game the same, was uncomfortable etc, so he went back to his old weight.