Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Flames prospect evokes memories of Gionta and Gerbe

Johnny Gaudreau, Patch Alber

Boston College’s Johnny Gaudreau, right, celebrates his goal with teammate Patch Alber during the third period of the NCAA Frozen Four college hockey tournament final game against Ferris State Saturday, April 7, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. Boston College won 4-1 to claim the National Championship. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

AP

Calgary Flames prospect Johnny Gaudreau (2011 fourth-round pick) has made a name for himself already in college hockey. Being a major part of Boston College’s national championship winning team last season in just his freshman year has put him on the map.

At 5'6" 140 pounds, he might be mistaken for someone a lot younger, but he brings back memories of previous diminutive BC standouts Brian Gionta and Nathan Gerbe. Gaudreau hopes he can be a fraction of the player they are.

“The history of BC hockey players with some of the small guys... I just want to be like them and play like them and have a career like they have. You’ve got to have some influences out there and they’re definitely some of mine.”

Last season, Gaudreau had 21 goals and 23 assists in just his first season at BC. If he keeps building on numbers like that, he’ll have people thinking he’s the heir to Chris Kreider’s throne. Gaudreau says he learned a lot from the New York Rangers’ playoff star. Rooting for Kreider and the Rangers while in Boston proved to be a bit tricky.

“Yeah, it was a little awkward,” Gaudreau confesses. “I’m more of a Flyers and Calgary kind of fan since they drafted me. Unfortunately they didn’t make it, but I was cheering for Kreider and happy he did so well.”

If things break right for him and the Flames, maybe he can make his own splash in the NHL.