QOTD: Are you changing your Gaudreau ceiling?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

From HF Oilers:

Posted by CornKicker


I just can't believe how blind these people are. He won't slow down, Johnny Hockey isn't an 18 year old and I don't see him regressing next season.

I love oiler fans and I love the entertainment they provide us. I just had to share this quote.

Whether you agree with the comment or not, that's a pretty sad state that an Oiler fan is now clinging to that as ammunition.

In that comment is basically admitting he's been an impact player in the regular season and the Flames are playoff bound.

Wonder what Glen Healy is thinking now?

[Vinny01]

My thoughts haven't changes. I have thought johnny is a 80-100pt player since his 3rd season at BC

[pylon]

He has the makings of a Rocket Richard/Art Ross calibre player. He does some stuff out there that only a handful of players in the world can do. I am not one to over hype players and am generally reserved in predictions on our own guys. Pending he doesn't get bulldozed by some meathead, and can stay healthy, I honestly believe we will see a 50 goal season out of him at some point, and a 100 point season. The last guy we had the even remotely came close to his raw offensive ability was Kent Nillson. And Kenta had the work ethic and fitness of a professional bowler. Johnny seems hungry and focused.

There might be 10 players in the last decade that have his offensive skill set. The best cliche I have heard repeated about him, is "He can stick handle in a phone booth."

[stemit14]

I say 90 point season but who knows... The amount of offensive chances he creates in a game is ridiculous. Even when he's having a bad game by his standards he creates at least one or two prime opportunities.

He might be the most elusive player in the league. I remember a few years ago when he won gold at the world juniors for team USA... I think it was Tyler Wotherspoon that was interviewed and asked about what it's like playing against gaudreau and his response was that it's like playing against a ghost.

[GreenLantern]

I've never doubted his ceiling, that remains the same. But I am definitely surprised with how fast he got to where he is right now. Somewhere at the beginning of the year someone posted about that and I was the first one to say lets settle down and be realistic. Not the most happy I have ever been to be wrong, but definitely top five.

[cannon7]

I have no doubt that Gaudreau has the talent, I just think he's going to become a target for shutdown specialists unless we have a viable second line. Here's hoping a duo of Poirier-Bennett has similar success next season.

[Bingo]

the crazy thing about his stat line is the number of times he's burned a defenseman to get in alone and then just stuff the puck into the goaltenders pad. How many 7 or 8 times?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bingo

the crazy thing about his stat line is the number of times he's burned a defenseman to get in alone and then just stuff the puck into the goaltenders pad. How many 7 or 8 times?

Yeah, if there's anything he needs to work on, it's finishing his chances. Funnily enough, that's one area of his game where he doesn't seem to be as creative...he's almost downright predictable anytime he gets a chance in alone, 90% of the time trying to slip the puck in through the 5 hole.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

season #1 21 goal 72 pts
#2 25 goals 75 pts
#3 30 goals 88 pts
#4 27 goal 73 pts
#5 23 goals 66 pts
#6 23 goals 55 pts (48 games season)
#7 29 goals 69 pts
#8 27 goals 64 pts

I don't think there should be any argument that Patrick Kane is the best small player of this decade.


Gaudreau will be winning Multiple hart Trophies if he does 30 goals 80 pts on a semi-regular basis.

Patrick Kane has only done it once in his 8 seasons.. (twice counting the 48 game season).

The league has changed... Teams rolling 4 lines. The top scorers are going down in pts scored. ...Last year only Crosby went over 90 pts.... this year unless someone gets hot there won't be any 90+ pt guys in the league.

Kane has scored above a PPG pace 4 times in his career, anyone who can do that has 90 point potential.

To me St Louis is probably the top Offensive "small" player of the current era, and he hit 90 points 3 times.

I think 90 points is vary reasonable Gaudreaus ceiling.

If you want to talk about expectations, I think about 80 for a career high is a reasonable expectation right now.

As other have pointed out the game is always changing, in 4 years there could be 20 guys with 100 points or 75 points could win the Art Ross. We don't know, so we will just have to enjoy watching him play and find out.

[flamesfever]

I went with "even higher", as I think his real potential is in the number of his assists. He is constantly setting guys up with his exceptional ability to pass, and as Calgary's shooting ability improves with the addition of guys like Bennett, I believe his numbers could explode.

[FlamesAddiction]

I just think of what he is doing now as a rookie, playing mostly on a line with a sophomore centre and another small forward that was probably regarded by most as a 2nd line winger.

What would happen if the Flames somehow landed a top elite 1st line forward in the next few years? I think that kind of situation could really boost his stats. He could be the type of talent to help lure a player like that over as well.

[jar_e]

Incredibly changed my ceiling. I"m cautiously optimistic as his greatest point production has been with guys who are also having career years but never would have expected this consistency when he started at the beginning of the year.

[Dodsdomd]

I think you will really see his points climb if he is able to play on a stable line for some time. His line mates miss out on at least 30% of his creative play making as it happens so fast and often very unconventional. The longer they are able to build chemistry with Johnny the better they will come to expect the unexpected.

[GioforPM]

Johnny's ceiling is low:

[polak]

I said even higher simply cause he's taken over and dominated every league he has been in before. He's already a very good NHL player and it's only been his first year. I think that means you can't cap him off to some expected number.

I think his ceiling is being one of the best players in the NHL.

I do worry that because he plays such a specific style and has such a massive size disadvantage, coaches might right a very big book on him and how to shut him down but then on the other hand, we've seen defensemen try shutting him down and focusing in on him and then he just finds a way to burn them either by getting around them or his unreal passing and they all of the sudden start backing off and giving him space.

Either way, the Flames have a very exciting player on their hands. Him plus Monahan and Bennett is a core you build a contender with. I just hope one of our goalies has some Kipper in him.

[GranteedEV]

Johnny's cieling is Patrick Kane and right now we havrn't seen Patrick Kane's ceiling (he was having a career year before his injury)

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by polak

I said even higher simply cause he's taken over and dominated every league he has been in before. He's already a very good NHL player and it's only been his first year. I think that means you can't cap him off to some expected number.

I think his ceiling is being one of the best players in the NHL.

I do worry that because he plays such a specific style and has such a massive size disadvantage, coaches might right a very big book on him and how to shut him down but then on the other hand, we've seen defensemen try shutting him down and focusing in on him and then he just finds a way to burn them either by getting around them or his unreal passing and they all of the sudden start backing off and giving him space.

Either way, the Flames have a very exciting player on their hands. Him plus Monahan and Bennett is a core you build a contender with. I just hope one of our goalies has some Kipper in him.

I think it's somewhat telling that the only guy that really got a big piece of him this season was Datsyuk. Similar elusive small skilled guy. He can probably read him better than almost anyone.

I think Johnny will be a 70-80 point guy most years with perhaps a few outlier years up or down.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

I went with "even higher", as I think his real potential is in the number of his assists. He is constantly setting guys up with his exceptional ability to pass, and as Calgary's shooting ability improves with the addition of guys like Bennett, I believe his numbers could explode.

Calgary's shooting ability (percentage) is already extremely high, it's more about players not expecting the pass and not getting a shot off at all. If Calgary could find a true sniper (50 goal threat) the sky really is the limit

[CSharp]

I think the Flames need another skilled player to play with him - like one of those Red Army players that can go east-west / north-south in a hearbeat. Gaudreau's got great vision and moves on the ice, but without linemates that can feed off of each other consistently, it'll be kind of wasted. Monahan is a good centerman, but most of the time, he's just a north-south guy and there's a lot of missed opportunities between him and Johnny in those really tight games. If you get another guy who can read Gaudreau nicely (like Zetterberg and Datsyuk), I can see over 100/season for both players, easily.

[JohnnySkittles]

Sky is the limit. However I'm not expecting 90+ points the way the NHL is now/how it's trending. Teams are going to adjust to him and are going to be making game plans on how to shut down Gaudreau, next season will be interesting to see how he adapts to that.