Johnny Hockey is having a better season than Johnny Football, delivering hope to Flames fans that Browns followers lost.
Johnny Gaudreau is greater than Johnny Manziel. In fact, were the NHL to hold balloting on its rookie of the year right now, Gaudreau might well make off with the Calder Trophy.
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The latest exploits of the Flames' hot new star were detailed in The Calgary Sun, where Eric Francis noted Gaudreau's performance in Thursday's 4-1 victory over the Flyers. It included a Gaudreau goal and two assists.
Check the stats, and you'll find Gaudreau with 20 goals and 36 assists in 70 games. He is the NHL's rookie scoring leader. And he is doing it, Francis noted, with "a flair for the dramatic fans have come to associate with the dynamic collegian."
For Gaudreau, 21, the night was even sweeter. He delivered against the team he pulled for while growing up in New Jersey. Plus, the game in Calgary was televised to the Flyers' market.
"I know a ton of family and friends were watching at home," Gaudreau said. "My sister just had her first kid there and she was watching, too. It's just an exciting night."
So imagine the thrill the Gaudreau clan had when Johnny came marching home to face the Flyers earlier this month in Philly.
MORE: Gaudreau by the numbers | NHL scoreboard | Standings
Rookie of the year? Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo! Sports sets up the field, one of the best in some time. Gaudreau on Thursday pushed to the top of the rookie scoring race, one point ahead of the Predators' Filip Forsberg. Gaudreau also has a shot at catching rookie goal leaders Mike Hoffman (24) of the Senators and Anders Lee (23) of the Islanders.
Also in Puck Daddy's mix: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, Stars blue-liner John Klingberg and Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson.
Here's the nice part, the very un-Johnny Football part: Gaudreau isn't letting his notoriety go to his head. When told he was the rookie scoring leader, Gaudreau told The Calgary Herald:
"First thing on my mind was that we won the game but I found that out, too, and so it's a good night.
"Obviously I want to be one of the top rookies in the league as long as I'm playing well and the team's playing well. We're in a playoff race right now. Everything just seems to be going the right way right now so hopefully we keep it going."
He didn't rub his thumb and fingers together. That's Manziel's shtick.
Gaudreau, like Manziel, isn't big; in fact, he's downright small by NHL standards at 5-9, 150 pounds. Somebody give that kid a sandwich. One would imagine coach Bob Hartley winces every time he sees a hulking defenseman aim a shoulder at his young winger.
Nothing new there, Kings assistant coach John Stevens told The Herald. Back in the day when he was with the Flyers, Stevens knew Gaudreau through youth hockey. Johnny's dad coached Stevens' youngsters. Johnny, Stevens said, "was tiny then."
"I've seen Johnny play since he was 4 years old," Stevens said. "Always had the puck a lot. Always scored a lot. Always controlled the back of the net. Always crossed guys up with his edges."
Here's how The Hockey News evaluates Gaudreau:
| Assets: | Owns tremendous instincts in the offensive zone and can generate a ton of offense at lower levels. Skates very well and is extremely creative with the puck. |
| Flaws: | Must overcome significant height and weight disadvantages in order to maximize his scoring prowess at the highest level. Could also stand to be more selfish. |
| Career potential: | Talented, albeit diminutive scoring winger with good upside. |
Good things in small packages? Nathan Gerbe of the Hurricanes is 5-5. Daniel Briere had a great career at 5-9. There's room for the little guys, especially the special talents.
By the way, Gaudreau is like Manziel in one other way: He wants exclusive rights to his nickname.
"We felt that Johnny was going to be a special player and if he takes off the way we felt he could, he has the potential to have endorsement opportunities that could be very valuable," Lewis Gross, Gaudreau's agent, told Canadian media outlet TSN in January.
We're figuring those endorsement opportunities have increased by the game.
Gaudreau, the flash from Boston College, had this for The Calgary Sun about his season:
"I don't think it could have gone any better so far. Only thing better would be to make the playoffs. I'm really excited to be part of this team and part of this race — so it's exciting as a rookie."
No one in Calgary will disagree.