The topic of the week was the Philadelphia reservation that decided the World Youth Championship gold for the United States Cutter Gauthier, who refused to play for the Flyers. The center forward, who is still playing NCAA hockey at Boston University, was unwilling to even meet or negotiate with Philadelphia on the matter.
The player has not given a reason for his decision.
Ultimately, Philadelphia traded Gauthier to Anaheim in exchange for a talented defenseman, to Jamie Drysdale.
The incident caused an immediate uproar with its mild manifestations. The twists and turns were torn in the media and the player was not spared from the strong reactions of the fans, for example on his social media channels. Some even traveled to Boston to demonstrate.
Urheilu’s ice hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen don’t think this will become a trend among young players. The decision will still affect Gauthier’s career.
– I don’t think he quite understood how hell broke loose after something like this. The ballast that Gauthier now gets from this is huge – and it starts from day one. The reactions are strong and everything is monitored very closely. He won’t get it by Connor Bedard positive reception, Lehkonen sees.
The trade also brought Anaheim into the discussion, which is not successful yet, but after the last trade, has a huge future mid laner at hand: Mason MacTavish, Leo Carlsson, Trevor Zegras and Connor Gauthier.
– They now have quite a few selling points in their hands. I believe that they have also developed a clear vision over the past few years about which of today’s youngsters are capable of playing winning hockey. Carlsson is their absolute Mats Sundin-type diamond. He’s going to be a big player.
Who surprised?
Edmonton needs to be brought up again. In December, the team put together an eight-game winning streak, which in itself was a hard performance, but now we’re going even harder. After the loss experienced between the pair, Oil is currently on a winning streak of no less than eleven matches. It’s about a club record.
Lehkonen highlights two players above all: Connor McDavid’s and by Zach Hyman. Hyman is McDavid’s long-term wingman, an all-round player who does overall work with quality and is also capable of solving things himself.
– McDavid did all the little things right against Toronto in a 0-2 loss position! It was amazing to watch. The same goes for Hyman. McDavid shows absolutely ferocious leadership in that every single exchange. My appreciation only grows as I grow, Lehkonen says.
The way Edmonton has modified its game after the change of coach in November has also impressed Lehkonee. The head coach By Kris Knoblauch in addition, Lehkonen gives recognition to the former top defender To Paul Coffey – yet again.
– There is now discipline in the defenders’ playing so that first comes the defending and then the other good things. Goal advantage play has also become clearer. It’s on a completely different level than before. This team has taken a spoon in its beautiful hand, that even low-scoring matches are good for it.
Who flopped?
Carolina Jesperi Kotkaniemi belongs to the Finns in the refrigerator department. That is, to those whose bats have cooled down in recent weeks.
There is nothing much wrong with Porilainen’s basic playing, but the results are declining. In twenty previous matches, the ace coach has scored one goal and three points.
– This was expected. He doesn’t have a high level of routine, and a young guy can’t have it yet. This is a low season. Such things happen when you play in a demanding place and way of playing, when the player still gives a handicap while skating. When spring comes, this boy always pulls at a completely different level, Lehkonen assures.
The head coach Rod Brind’Amour has not treated Kotkaniemi as lightly as Lehkonen. The Finnish center’s ice times have dropped to around 10–12 minutes, sometimes even less.
The coach will certainly not get off easy and the string is being tightened all the time. When there are better games, the minutes go up. It’s good to be in a coaching where you get tough love.
Goal of the week
– Super nice goal! Look how Morgan Rielly hangs on Connor McDavid from the corner. McDavid has once and for all just decided to score a goal now. That’s where a ten million man goes in a mask, what the hell, Lehkonen enthuses.
What next?
It will be interesting to watch the New York Rangers in the coming weeks Kaapo Kako the situation.. Kakko was injured at the end of an extremely difficult fall season and returned to the rink this past week. A goal was scored in the second match. Before the injury, Kakko scored only one goal in 20 matches.
Kako has been offered – even after the injury – the opportunity to play even in the top chain, but his results have declined. The Rangers are a team that is chasing a championship. If Kakosta is not in the first team, the Rangers may try to trade him elsewhere before the March 8 transfer deadline.
– I don’t think that Kako’s grips affect it. I bet Rangers will enter the market anyway, Lehkonen feels.
– Soon we’ll see if Kakko was thrown into a brainstorming session during the injury, because it was really difficult before that. Now it would seem that the coaching staff was satisfied with the first two games. The second team can play in the first chain, but you have to be able to decide attacks, like on Wednesday.
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