GAUDREAU TOUTED FOR CALDER TROPHY
Flames’ youthful winger Johnny Gaudreau shows no signs of fading among the giants in the National Hockey League, as ‘Johnny Hockey’ now leads all rookies in scoring.
The whispers over Johnny Gaudreau’s chances of winning the Calder Trophy have been getting louder and louder as the 2014-15 NHL season wears on.
And following Game 71 of the Calgary Flames season — No. 70 for undersized 2011 fourth-round pick — it’s clear he just became the front-runner.
“Obviously, he’s created a bit of a buzz,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving. “And that’s great for him. He’s so deserving of it. The bigger picture is that he and that line (Jiri Hudler and Sean Monahan) is getting hot at the right time. It’s great to have him in those conversations because if you have those kinds of players in those kinds of conversations, they’re doing well and usually that helps the team do well.”
The Flames are thrilled that he is now leading the NHL in rookie scoring.
A three-point (one goal, two assist) night in Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers gave him 20 goals and 36 assists and pushed him ahead of Nashville centreman Filip Forsberg’s 55 points.
The conversation is good for Gaudreau, good for the Flames, and — all around — good for business in general.
“Leading point-getter for rookies, Calder (attention), those are great and wonderful testaments to the work he’s put in,” Treliving said. “But, first and foremost, it’s getting wins. He’ll be the first one to tell you, it’s a nice cherry to have — to be the leading point getter. But, the priority is, his production is going to give us a better chance to have success.
“That’s what everyone’s focusing on.”
Maturity has played a big role in Gaudreau’s progression.
Take the last time the Calgary Flames faced the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was Oct. 17 and the whiz kid’s first and only healthy scratch of the 2014-15 NHL season — perhaps the first time he’d been held out of a game in his lifetime without an injury.
At the time, his ice time had been dwindling from 16:04 against Vancouver to open the season to 10:31 against the Chicago Blackhawks, which was the game prior to his benching.
As expected, his adjustment to the NHL was gradual. He failed to register a single point in the team’s first five games.
So, you just knew Gaudreau was eager to light the lamp and did so in his first game back — Oct. 19 on the road at Winnipeg in a one-goal, one-assist performance.
And there have been droughts. An eight-game stretch in early November. A seven-game stretch after Christmas. A lengthy 15-game goalless slump after the NHL allstar break.
There have been challenges, particularly a lengthy seven-game road trip — the “Gaudreau homecoming tour.”
No one said adjusting from a 40-something game NCAA schedule to the 82-grind of the NHL would be easy. Especially for a 5-foot-9 (-ish), 150-pound (-ish) 21-year-old.
“Struggling like any college kid of his size would do,” agreed Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “But he has the ability to adjust, not only on the ice but to adjust around the game and that’s what makes him so special.”
Gaudreau, raw talent and all, came as advertised.
“I look at him and, I’ve said this before, just look at when he scores a goal,” Hartley said. “Or when he’s on the bench. He’s like a kid at the circus. He’s having fun scoring goals. He is so unselfish. I got on his case to shoot more, to shoot more. Now, I like the balance in his game. He reads the play. If his teammate has a better play than him, he’s going to ( get the puck) there. If not, he’s going to take the shot.
“This guy is so much fun to coach. He’s a competitor … and has unbelievable hockey sense.”
There are three home games before the Flames go on the road — Saturday versus the Blue Jackets, Monday against the Colorado Avalanche, and Wednesday against the Dallas Stars. All three visiting teams are currently on the outside of the playoff picture and looking in.
Following that, there’s a fivegame away stretch that won’t be easy — Minnesota, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis, and Edmonton. The goal, for Gaudreau, is simple. “Right now, it’s trying to make the playoffs,” he said. “That’s one of the goal I’d really like to achieve, the highest one right now.
“Now we’re in the playoff race ... we need every single point.”
ICE CHIPS: Forward Paul Byron skated Friday at WinSport, first by himself prior to the ice time and then with the team, wearing a blue non-contact jersey. Byron hasn’t played since Feb. 16 when Boston came to Calgary. “We’re going to wait and see (Saturday) morning and see how he feels,” Hartley said. “He will not play (Saturday) that’s for sure. But if he keeps progressing, Monday could be a possibility.” … D Douglas Murray is still kicking around the Flames and was cycling through the team’s third pairing at Friday’s skate. “He’s doing well,” Hartley said. … G Karri Ramo starts for the second straight game … D TJ Brodie had a maintenance day Friday.