Daily Loverade: Johnny Hockey

Oct 31, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to hate Johnny Gaudreau, trust me I’ve tried. What’s not to love about this kid? He embodies everything we love about this great game. He’s the kind of player you can point at and tell your kids “see, anything is possible if you work hard enough!”

Coming in at a generous 5’9″ (the NHL has been known to inflate stats a touch here and there) 150 lbs by all rights he should have no chance to compete in the NHL, yet here we are.

This is a kid who at every level was told “you’re too small,” and at every level he was a dominant player. He won Rookie of the Year in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2010-2011, a Hobey Baker Award in the 2014 while at Boston College, and a jersey opening night of this season for the Flames- arguably his proudest accomplishment I’m willing to bet.

John might be small, but one thing is clear, he loves the game. It’s what makes him so fun to watch. While not an incredibly gifted skater, his elusiveness is mesmerizing and his hands are on par with some of the best in the league. If you don’t believe me, go YouTube some of his highlights real quick and come back. He has a real talent for getting “lost” on the ice only to reappear right at the most lethal moment. He’s already off to a strong NHL career with 11 points in his first 16 games. If the Coyotes are going to be successful tonight they need to keep an eye on number 13. They can’t give him time to make plays or sneak in behind defensemen. If the defense is able to keep a close gap on Gaudreau all night long then the Coyotes chances of walking away with a win shoot up substantially.