And if this season is any indication. The’s only now scratching the fullness of his talents. Gaudreau is on pace for 48 goals and 120 points, totals which would shatter his previous highs of 30 and 84, respectively. The keys to this breakthrough? A pair of steady (and sensational in their own right) linemates in Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm, and a more selfish approach with the puck.
That shoot-first mentality has him on pace for about 270 shots this season, 70 more than his career average. Gaudreau credits that surge to those linemates.
“Last year I played with Michael Ferland, an. The’s a little bit more of a shooter,” Gaudreau told The Globe and Mail. “Lindholm obviously is a shooter as well, bu. The can see the ice really well an. The can make some pretty high-end plays. So I’ve gotten more opportunity to shoot a little more with a player like that.”