Friday 12 September 2014

Jets Get Gaudreau'd

Johnny Gaudreau came into the NHL with the Calgary Flames with a little hype about what he could do with a stick in his hands and skates on his feet. The 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner was a star with the Boston College Eagles in the NCAA and helped the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints win the Clark Cup championship in 2010-11. Of course, Gaudreau played in his only NHL game last season in the final game of the season, but he scored his first NHL goal on his only NHL shot to date. Again, the kid is pretty good at hockey.

The Calgary Flames' prospects rolled into Penticton, BC for a rookie tournament with a few other teams, and they met up with the Winnipeg Jets' prospects tonight. Johnny Gaudreau suited up for the Flames in tonight's match-up, and he showed why the Flames are pumped to have this kid in their lineup this season. Check out this goal.
That is a backhand shot that came out of nowhere with very little room, and he went shelf over Connor Hellebuyck's shoulder in impressive fashion! Jets defender Nikolas Brouillard also looked like a pylon in his rather feeble effort to knock the puck off Gaudreau's stick, so he deserves to be mentioned in Gaudreau's pretty goal as well. No offence to Brouillard, but that's the style of defensive play that will have him back with the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs pretty quickly.

"[Morgan Klimchuk] hopped off the ice there," Gaudreau told Aaron Vickers of the Calgary Flames. "A lot of credit to him just hopping off and letting me get a little breakaway. I just stuck it between a guy's legs and took a little shot on net. Luckily it went in.

"I saw the little scrum next to our bench and saw a puck pop out as I was getting off the bench. I just tried to get it to the net. It was a nice little move there and I just tried to get it in the net. Hopefully I can keep going."

Make no mistake about it: Johnny Gaudreau is a solid player. If you need to get your Flames jersey customized, he looks like he could be the next Iginla in Cow-town.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

No comments: