I like Gagner, but I feel Hobey Baker award winner Adam Gaudette deserves a shot at turning full-time pro at center, he has more intangibles to his game as a 200ft player and untapped scoring potential, even the Sedins commented on how good he is as an all round player.
A good read:
http://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nh ... ins-future
March 29, 2018
GAUDETTE GETS FEET WET
Green didn’t want Adam Gaudette to just stick a toe in the competitive waters Thursday. He made a splash by not making a mistake, making the most of 10:39 of fourth-line time and making the right impression.
After signing his three-year, entry-level deal Monday and burning the first year Thursday, he proved he can process the game at this level and make the smart play.
“He did some good things,” said Green. “It’s a big step for him, but I liked what I saw. He looked like he had confidence and worked to get places.”
Gaudette made an early, smart zone exit pass off the wall, sped through the neutral zone and zipped a wrist shot over the net and off the glass.
“In the defensive zone you’ve got to be quicker,” he said. “I realized that right away and as the game went on, I got better. The first shift in the D-zone, I was a little starstruck at how quick you needed to be on a guy, but I picked it up.”
More important, he knew he wasn’t going to play in the third period of a tight game — just four shifts — and that’s giving him an early leg up on getting it at this level.
“I didn’t expect to be out there,” he said. “There are guys who lead this team and I’m not in that position yet; it’s good for me to watch and learn from them.”
I feel it's important to have a blend of vets and at least one rookie at center if this team is to successfully transition in the youth.
Horvat
Sutter
Gaudette
Beags
Pettersson likely starts at wing, where he was for the most part in Vaxjo, but he will slowly transition to
center over the next coupla years, it's important that he does that sooner rather than later to master that position, so he doesn't get stuck on wing like Sam Reinhart.
And I like Eriksson' game, he's also a 200ft player, can play on all special teams and he's kind of a big fella at 6'2 almost 200lbs with a long reach to score around the net, if it wasn't for his contract he would get more love imo.
All he needs is for powerplay coach Newell Brown to show him some love, because under Claude Julien and Willie Desjardins they gave Eriksson powerplay minutes and Loui shined.
A long time ago, a baseball player remarked: "If I owned a ballclub, I'd hire a $5,000 coach and a $15,000 scout."
