John Frickin Gaudreau!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

While the size comparison is fair, I don't think Gaudreau's as fast or as tenacious along the boards as Byron. They are very different types of player. Gaudreau is pure skill from what I've seen of him.

Others who have watched him more than I might be able to speak more to that than I, though.

Not sure I agree entirely.

I think Byron has more top-end speed, but Gaudreau has more quickness - those first couple strides that can separate him from the D

As for tenacity, Byron has that straight-on feistiness that we saw last night, which is awesome (he's like a Chihuahua). Gaudreau has an ability to compete on the boards and win puck battles. He is also fantastic with back-pressure. IMO, he is very much like Datsyuk in that regard. A different kind of tenacity - always after the puck.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

While the size comparison is fair, I don't think Gaudreau's as fast or as tenacious along the boards as Byron. They are very different types of player. Gaudreau is pure skill from what I've seen of him.

Others who have watched him more than I might be able to speak more to that than I, though.

Bryon's likely faster than Gaudreau, but from everything I've seen from Gaudreau in terms of highlights, he's got some wheels too. You can't blow by defenders if you can't skate fast. Johnny's got more quickness than Byron. Byron has higher top end speed.

The difference is that Johnny's skill and vision are clearly superior to Byron's. He's got that going for him. Foot speed can also be taught, if that is a potential issue.

[MrMastodonFarm]

When Gaudreau signs here soon I think he'll play the end of the season stretch with the Flames but it wouldn't surprise me if he sees the vast majority of next season in the AHL. Needs to bulk up a bit, get some body strength if he wants to be in the NHL full time.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Haha, if I was MMF's second account, why would I be asking the question in the first place?

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by fotze

Only way that is possible is if BC gets upset. If they get to the final it is the last game of the season for the flames.

Need someone to give a rundown on how the college playoffs work and dates. Can't remember how that works.

Frozen Four goes until April 12, last Flames game is April 13th. Pretty much would have to be a giant upset for BC to not make it

[BChockeyJunkie]

I wouldn't say "Giant Upset"

Ist game (matters where they finish and seeding for league seperation)
Vs 14th-16th ranked team

2game vs 7th-10th ranked team

So in a one game series vs solid competition in neutral ice.... I wouldn't call it a giant upset to not get to the frozen 4.

Thing that scares me is they look like they might matchup up with one of the pack it in D teams that would be looking to win 1-0 or 2-1. (like Notre Dame or Lowell)

Regional are 28th-30th. But you have to remember if they get bounced in the first 2 games. Johnny will be invited to receive his award on the 11th of april. Don't know how that plays into the timing of everything.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by fotze

Only way that is possible is if BC gets upset. If they get to the final it is the last game of the season for the flames.

Need someone to give a rundown on how the college playoffs work and dates. Can't remember how that works.

Ah okay, was totally ignorant of the time line.

Hopefully BC gets upset right away. Screw it he has that title already.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by fotze

Only way that is possible is if BC gets upset. If they get to the final it is the last game of the season for the flames.

Need someone to give a rundown on how the college playoffs work and dates. Can't remember how that works.

First they have the Hockey East playoffs, which run over the next three weekends. Boston College has this week off as it is a qualification round, and they received a bye for being in the top-5 in Hockey East. Next weekend, they play a best-of-3 series in the Hockey East quarter finals, which they should easily win. The weekend of the 21st is the Hockey East semifinal and final.

Regardless of how they do in the Hockey East championship, they will get an invite to the NCAA Championship. The NCAA Championship is a single-elimination 16-team bracketed playdown.

The first round of the NCAA Championship is the Regionals, which run on the weekend of March 28-30. There are four Regionals with four teams in each. The winners of each Regional go to the Frozen Four, which is held from April 10-12 in Philadelphia.


If they get upset in the Regionals, their season could end as early as March 28, and Gaudreau could be a Flame in time for the game in Ottawa on the 30th. The latest they could play is the Frozen Four final game, which is April 12.


Also, the Hobey Baker Award ceremony will be on April 11 in Philadelphia. He is virtually guaranteed to win, and his home town is just outside of Philly, so his whole family can easily be at the ceremony. They'd probably let him accept the award via satellite, but he'd probably want to be there live.

[StrykerSteve]

Great post, getbak.

[GreenLantern]

I had no idea that the Hockey East and NCAA tournament were independent of each other. I assumed there was a connection between where you finished and where you would seed..

So how do they rank it then? Regular season performance in your division, vs other divisions?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Haha, if I was MMF's second account, why would I be asking the question in the first place?

Because I'm a genius.

[FBI]

The only thing I'm worried here is that Byron is doing very well lately and we unfortunately didn't ditch Cammalleri. So if JG makes it next year that would be 3 small guys when Burke wants us to get bigger. So how would that work?

[StrykerSteve]

I highly doubt Gaudreau is playing in Calgary next year.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

I highly doubt Gaudreau is playing in Calgary next year.

I think he starts in the AHL and gets called up later in the season similar to Theo Fleury in 1989. Johnny better get his arms strong enough to lift the cup.

[herashak]

Originally Posted by Fire

I think he starts in the AHL and gets called up later in the season similar to Theo Fleury in 1989. Johnny better get his arms strong enough to lift the cup.

Hes lifted a lot of trophies in his career

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by FBI

The only thing I'm worried here is that Byron is doing very well lately and we unfortunately didn't ditch Cammalleri. So if JG makes it next year that would be 3 small guys when Burke wants us to get bigger. So how would that work?

Not really a bad problem to have. JG will have to spend some time in the AHL next season anyways and Cammalleri may not re-sign with us.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

I had no idea that the Hockey East and NCAA tournament were independent of each other. I assumed there was a connection between where you finished and where you would seed..

So how do they rank it then? Regular season performance in your division, vs other divisions?

There is a connection in the sense that if you win your Conference, you get an automatic invite to the NCAA Tournament, but for the most part, they are separate.

Here's a detailed explanation of the Tournament process: http://www.collegehockeynews.com/info/?d=pwcrpi


They determine the invited schools using what's called the "Pairwise" ranking, which is designed to weight each school's strength of schedule against their records: http://www.collegehockeynews.com/ratings/ncaapwcr.php


BC is safely at the top of the Pairwise, in a virtual tie with Minnesota.

[GoodUncle]

Originally Posted by getbak

Regardless of how they do in the Hockey East championship, they will get an invite to the NCAA Championship. The NCAA Championship is a single-elimination 16-team bracketed playdown.

True.

If they win Hockey East Conference championship, they get an "automatic bid" to the Frozen Four tournament. Each conference champion gets an automatic bid into the NCAA Frozen Four tournament.

The remaining teams that get into the NCAA Frozen Four do so based on a mathematical ranking which, based on BC's performance this season, should pretty much get them a bid into the NCAA Frozen Four.

[GoodUncle]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Gaudreau won't be scoring at 2PPG clip in the NHL

I hope you're wrong

[ForeverFlameFan]

I think this kid can turn into another St. Louis, at least perfectly capable to.