What also will help the Flames is another season of growth from their top line of Gaudreau, center Sean Monahan and right wing Elias Lindholm. Last season they combined for 259 points (97 goals, 162 assists). They each set personal NHL-highs for points, and Gaudreau's 99 points (36 goals, 63 assists) tied for seventh-most in the League.
Gaudreau and Monahan played together frequently during their previous five seasons as teammates. Lindholm was added after being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on June 23, 2018.
"I knew he was a smart player, a good player," Gaudreau said of Lindholm. "You only see him once or twice a year playing in Carolina, you don't realize how good a player he actually is. I didn't play against him much but when he came in I said, 'wow, this guy is a good player and can really help us'. Ever since that first day [coach Bill Peters] put us together, we've never looked back and we played really well together. Great teammates, great guys off the ice, makes it easier to play with them."
However, like the rest of the Flames' offense, they went quiet during a five-game loss to the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Gaudreau had one assist in the final four games of the series, all Flames losses, and the big line combined for four points (two goals, two assists).
"That sat with us most of the summer, pretty much every player," Gaudreau said. "We know we need to be better coming into the playoffs. That's one thing we've obviously learned from the past season, you've got to be playing your best hockey going into the playoffs."
Gaudreau said he's been skating for nearly a month, including captaining a team at the three-day Checking For Charity tournament, which includes more than 40 teams at various skill levels playing games throughout southern New Jersey. Gaudreau's team is playing in the A/Pro Division, and among his teammates is his younger brother, Matt Gaudreau, who plays for Worcester in the ECHL, and Ottawa Senators forward Colin White.
The focus of Gaudreau's offseason has been getting stronger in the gym and learning from Lindholm to be better defensively. But he said he's confident that he and his line can better, and the Flames can improve after they finished with 107 points, best in the Western Conference and second-best in the NHL behind the Tampa Bay Lightning (128).
"That first season we built a lot of chemistry together, learned playing together," Gaudreau said. "We started off quickly getting to know each other, the chemistry on the ice. After a full year like that you grow as a line, grow as a team, get better each day. I think it'll be exciting for us."
