A mid-March game against the Sabres isn't exactly the most exciting prospect for hockey fans. What this match up needs in an injection of something special. Something unique. Something goaty.
#GoatTracker This is not a drill ... Freddy Gauthier is on the ice at Leafs skate
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) 19 March 2016
Okay, that'll do. That will do it.
It's his time pic.twitter.com/OY2PwjcqFE
— Jeff O'Neill (@odognine2) 19 March 2016
@odognine2 ...NOW I will watch tonight....#GoatTracker
— Ted Nesbitt (@TedNesNA) 19 March 2016
Mike Babcock likes him:
Mike Babcock on Freddy Gauthier: "Every time I looked at him he was six-foot-five. So I liked that."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) 19 March 2016
I think that means he likes him, anyway.
What's Gauthier like on face-offs? Nylander smiles, "He's a big guy, heavy, so I think he'll do just fine on the draws today"
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) 19 March 2016
Yeah, okay. I can see that.
Sparks says Gauthier keeps Marlies room light: "He doesn't know it, but he's definitely got a certain character to him" #GoatTracker
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) 19 March 2016
Oh, I think he knows.
But don't forget Leafs fans, there's more to Freddie than hats, hashtags and Chipotle. He's the centre who helped launch Nikita Soshnikov into the NHL. That delightful hard nosed, skilled winger honed his edges playing all year on the Marlies with Richard Clune and Freddie. And Freddie was the backbone of the line.
He had 5 goals, 11 assists and only 10 penalty minutes in 56 games for the Marlies. Everyone will tell you he plays the whole game, and he does it the hard way. He's fun to watch, and I hope he has a great game tonight as the 11th rookie to make his début as a Leaf.