Johnny Gaudreau stands behind struggling Shayne Gostisbehere
CALGARY, Alberta - Calgary left winger Johnny Gaudreau watched Shane Gostisbehere star in the World Cup before the NHL season and wonders why there is so much concern over the defenseman's subpar year with the Flyers.
CALGARY, Alberta - Calgary left winger Johnny Gaudreau watched Shayne Gostisbehere star in the World Cup before the NHL season and wonders why there is so much concern over the defenseman's subpar year with the Flyers.
Playing on the same North America team with Gaudreau, Gostisbehere had more points in the World Cup than heralded teammates Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Nathan MacKinnon, Dylan Larkin, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jonathan Drouin, among others.
In fact, in North America's three games, Gostisbehere was tied with Gaudreau with a team-high four points and led the squad with a plus-4 rating.
"He's smart with the puck and he's a skilled player," Gaudreau, an all-star in each of his first three NHL seasons, said Wednesday before the Flames hosted the Flyers. "He knows where guys are on the ice all the time, and the thing I like about him is he can use that skill in the defensive zone, trying to break out of the zone. . . . He was a great player for us."
Both players are 23 and both are having less productive seasons than last year. Gaudreau, who grew up in Carneys Point, had a minus-18 rating entering Wednesday, and the Florida-born Gostisbehere was at minus-20.
"It's part of hockey. It's difficult at times and you learn from it," Gaudreau said. "We're both younger guys in this league and I got to play with him at the World Cup and he's a fantastic player, a great player, and a fun player to play with. And he was a great teammate."
Players go through "their ups and downs," Gaudreau said. "I'm sure he'll be great."
Gostisbehere entered Wednesday with four goals and 18 assists and had gone 29 straight games without a goal. He had 17 goals and 46 points in 64 games last season.
Gaudreau, coming off a season in which he had 30 goals and 78 points, went into the night with 11 goals and 35 points.
"We know we're really good players," Gostisbehere said. "He's an unbelievable player."
The struggles "are just something you go through at times. It's something you figure out," he added. "It's just a little adversity, but you don't jump ship when things aren't going your way."
Added Gostisbehere: "When you see guys who have great years, the expectations are so high for young guys. People forget how young we are. [I] just barely played 100 games in the league. I definitely don't have everything figured out. I think it's just about adjusting to things."
Game stuff
The Flyers had one lineup change from their previous game: Roman Lyubimov replaced Dale Weise at left wing on the fourth unit, which included Chris VandeVelde and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.
"Lubby's been a good fit with that line, and that line has done a very good job," coach Dave Hakstol said before the game. "No negatives toward Dale. It's just a good opportunity for Lubby to go in there. We know that line will be a good, reliable line on the road."
Breakaways
The Flyers started a stretch Wednesday in which they will play eight of their next 11 games on the road. . . . Gaudreau entered the night with six points in four career games against the team he idolized as a youngster, the Flyers. He plans to host another golf tournament in South Jersey this summer to benefit his alma mater, Gloucester Catholic High. The tourney raised close to $60,000 last year, Gaudreau said.
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