Johnny Gaudreau Believes Calgary Flames Could Win the Stanley Cup With Milan Lucic

Calgary Flames could be heading for the Stanley Cup trophy pretty soon. That is at least what Johnny Gaudreau thinks.

The left-winger of the Flames and one of the best players in this franchise, believes that the recent additions to Calgary’s roster will be very helpful in their title quest.

Two big names landed in the Canadian team, goalie Cam Talbot and experienced forward Milan Lucic. Gaudreau has nothing but kind words for both of them. Talbot is expected to be the backup for David Rittich, and all in all, he is a solid goalie for the NHL demands. Last season he played for the Philadelphia Flyers, recording 3.4 goals average ma d going 11-17-3. His save percentage was .892 in 35 contests.

Calgary signed him on a one-year deal worth $2.75, and if he does his job correctly, maybe the team offers him a long-term arrangement.

Johnny Gaudreau believes Cam Talbot and Milan Lucic could be the missing pieces to a Stanley Cup run for the Flames.https://t.co/p3F0JBYfrw

— NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) August 10, 2019

On the other hand, Lucic is one powerful force on the ice, who will bring a lot to this team. He knows how to create a competitive spirit among the players and how to win the title. Back in 2011, he was one of the essential players in the Boston Bruins.

Gaudreau added that his team needed a strong guy who will bring some muscle on the ice, and the Lucic fits in perfectly in that role.

“Obviously we’ve been looking for a little bit of toughness on our team and Lucic brings that,” the 25-year-old stated. “I think he can push us over the edge here.”

He then continued by explaining what the Flames got with Lucic’s arrival.

“You don’t really realize how big a presence he is on the ice,” Gaudreau said. “When you play against a team like that, and you have a player like that who can get into the corners, big body, get in front of the net, he really helps your team.”

With just 6 goals and 14 assists, Lucic won’t be of massive help in the finishing aspect of the game. But, his strength will no doubt open a lot of opportunities for Flames. He is known as one of the toughest players in the last decade. For example, the 31-year old had 259 hits during the 2019 season. Calgary’s leader Garnet Hathaway had 200.

This could give you a clue what Gaudreau talks about. Lucic came here via trade, from Edmonton Oilers, who received James Neal.

Gaudreau finished the previous season with 99 points (tied 7th in the league), 36 goals and 63 assists. Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm who came at the start of the 2018/19 season posted 259 points and were a pleasant surprise for all the NHL fans.

They were the biggest reason for Calgary’s excellent regular part of the season. The Flames took the No.1 seed in the West, sending a message to all other teams that they want the title. But like all the favorites in the last campaign, they choked immediately. Colorado Avalanches were too big of a challenge for them, and the boys from Denver closed that series in five matches.

It was a disastrous experience for the entire organization. But it forced Gaudreau to come back this summer and have one of the most intense training sessions in his career. He dedicated his time to two things – getting some muscles and improving the defense. For now, the results regarding his body are obvious. About the defense, we still don’t know, but if he practices that in the same rhythm as in the gym, there won’t be any problems.