Johnny Gaudreau Decline?

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I think his best years have passed. Still a very good player but he is a 60ish point guy rather than the guy that was close to 100 points.

Well he's leading the flames outright in scoring at a 72 point clip in a down year where he was obviously being dragged down by an injured Monahan for a large portion of the season.

6g 16a 22p in 16 games since being separated from Monahan.

He had 14 assists in his first 40 games and has 16 assists in 16 games since. It's amazing what having capable linemates can do for a playmaking winger.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

He's also 3rd in the league in scoring since he and Monahan were split up, behind only McDavid and Draisaitl. Only McDavid has more assists.

Definitely the sign of a declining player.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Guess who has 58 points +25 in 46 games since getting legitimate first line players to play with? He leads the NHL in primary 5v5 scoring since then, and he's doing it under Darryl Sutter.

Some god awful takes in this thread. Looking at you @nbwingsfan and @Beyonder91 . This is why you don't stat watch.

It's amazing how many people failed to grasp how playing with the corpse of Sean Monahan and Brett Ritchie could negatively impact a winger's production.

 

[Leafshater67]

It just blows my mind watching Monahan play - what the heck happened to him?

 

[Johnnybegood13]

Guess who has 58 points +25 in 46 games since getting legitimate first line players to play with? He leads the NHL in primary 5v5 scoring since then, and he's doing it under Darryl Sutter.

Some god awful takes in this thread. Looking at you @nbwingsfan and @Beyonder91 . This is why you don't stat watch.

It's amazing how many people failed to grasp how playing with the corpse of Sean Monahan and Brett Ritchie could negatively impact a winger's production.

He also leads the league in primary assists, of his 36 points 29 are at even strength and 27 are road points.

Not only can he play for Sutter, he's flourishing.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

It just blows my mind watching Monahan play - what the heck happened to him?

I think it's mostly just being separated from Gaudreau. His 5v5 production without Gaudreau has always been indicative of a 3rd line player.

I know he's had some injuries, but after his surgery he looked much better in terms of his skating, and his team leading PP production tells me he's still got the hands, but without an elite play driving winger he's not going to do much at 5v5 (and he's always been a pretty poor defensive center).

 

[mm11]

Johnny Hockey would be interesting next to Barzal perhaps

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Johnny Hockey would be interesting next to Barzal perhaps

I'm not sure interesting is the best word. That's a pairing that doesn't make any sense as they both are the primary drivers on their lines and there is only so much puck to go around. Also, they both aren't the biggest or strongest guys around and would get caved in.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

I'm not sure interesting is the best word. That's a pairing that doesn't make any sense as they both are the primary drivers on their lines and there is only so much puck to go around. Also, they both aren't the biggest or strongest guys around and would get caved in.

Zibanejad and Gaudreau would be a very interesting combo in my opinion

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I'm not sure interesting is the best word. That's a pairing that doesn't make any sense as they both are the primary drivers on their lines and there is only so much puck to go around. Also, they both aren't the biggest or strongest guys around and would get caved in.

I think it would be just fine - Gaudreau tends to thrive when he doesn't have to have the puck. That's why he's done so well with Lindholm and Tkachuk.

 

[mm11]

I'm not sure interesting is the best word. That's a pairing that doesn't make any sense as they both are the primary drivers on their lines and there is only so much puck to go around. Also, they both aren't the biggest or strongest guys around and would get caved in.

could be right perhaps, Barzal needs a guy that can keep up with him. If anything, the Isles PP would improve with Barzal and Johnny hockey slinging it around. Trotz could employ a heavy guy on the line and play sheriff . Also, Barzal is not easy to knock off the puck and rarely gets caved in.

 

[Rubi]

Not only is Gaudreau scoring, but under Sutter his defensive play has improved by leaps and bounds.
Frankly it appears that he's really enjoying playing under the old dinosaur.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I should bump the Johnny Gaudreau is a top ten player thread. He’s a machine.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I should bump the Johnny Gaudreau is a top ten player thread. He’s a machine.

Remember the whole "Gaudreau can't score on the road" nonsense?

Now he's 2nd in the league in road scoring.

 

[TheHudlinator]

It just blows my mind watching Monahan play - what the heck happened to him?

Played through a pretty serious hip injury last year and spent the entire offseason rehabbing. Combined with having had 2 wrist surgeries, 2 hernia surgeries, and groin surgery it looks like all the injuries have derailed him

 

[Kranix]

He has Taylor Hall syndrome...

Not good enough to be the best forward on the team year in and year out, but being asked to do that.

Put him on a team where he is ONE of the top players and he will be right back where he was.

He's the best player on the Flames year in year out. Wtf are you talking about

 

[Johnnybegood13]

I think it would be just fine - Gaudreau tends to thrive when he doesn't have to have the puck. That's why he's done so well with Lindholm and Tkachuk.

Gaudreau is still the primary puck hog on that line, Sutter has him going more north/south now and playing more in the middle. I'm not sure Tkachuk is the perfect linemate as he's playing his off wing for the first time in his career but it's working, arguably they're the best top line in hockey this year.

 

[blankall]

He has 15 points in his last 12 games.....this season was a tire fire for the entire team, and then Gaudreau had to adjust to the drastically different system under Sutter. Gaudreau had a stretch of like 25 bad games, right in the middle of the season (as did the whole team), which was exaggerated by the shortened season.

This thread is late by about a month. Anyone who has watched Flames game in the last month would know that Gaudreau looks great again.

So you're expecting him to be a point per game player again next year?

I don't see any reason why not. He's been playing at above a PPG for a while now. He's also in a contract year next year.

When you're right, you're right.

 

[blankall]

Gaudreau is still the primary puck hog on that line, Sutter has him going more north/south now and playing more in the middle. I'm not sure Tkachuk is the perfect linemate as he's playing his off wing for the first time in his career but it's working, arguably they're the best top line in hockey this year.

Tkachuk does a lot of good work very close to the net. He also brings a physical presence to the line. Any downside to Tkachuk playing his off wing is more than made up by Gaudreau's playmaking and ability to create space. Gaudreau needs linemates that are talented enough to score when the other team is double teaming him. Both Lindholm and Tkachuk fill that role.

 

[Frank Garrett]

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's.... JohnnyG'dreau!

 

[wintersej]

He's the best player on the Flames year in year out. Wtf are you talking about

On an actually good team.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

On an actually good team.

Flames are 17-7 with the 2nd best goal differential in the league...

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Johnny Selke

 

[FerklundCGY]

On an actually good team.

The Flames are one of the best teams in the NHL despite having one of the toughest & highest road/home ratio schedules in the entire league.

Lol.

Johnny Gaudreau is absolutely flourishing this season under Sutter. Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk very well might be the best line in the NHL at the moment with how incredibly, stupidly dominant they've been

 

[ER89]

Guess who has 58 points +25 in 46 games since getting legitimate first line players to play with? He leads the NHL in primary 5v5 scoring since then, and he's doing it under Darryl Sutter.

Some god awful takes in this thread. Looking at you @nbwingsfan and @Beyonder91 . This is why you don't stat watch.

It's amazing how many people failed to grasp how playing with the corpse of Sean Monahan and Brett Ritchie could negatively impact a winger's production.

Your posts are horrible. Don't you know there is no room for logic here?