Gaudreau wins puck control for second straight year at All-Star Skills

SAN JOSE -- Johnny Gaudreau modeled his game after Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane long before they competed in the Gatorade NHL Puck Control event at the 2019 SAP NHL All-Star Skills on Friday.

The similarities are clear: The Calgary Flames forward is 5-foot-9, 165 pounds; Kane is 5-10, 177. Each was born in the United States; Gaudreau in Salem, New Jersey, and Kane in Buffalo.
Gaudreau got the best of Kane to win the event for the second straight year, finishing in 27.045 seconds to 28.611 for Kane, the runner-up. He appreciated the chance to share the ice at SAP Center with the player he modeled his game after.
RELATED: [Complete 2019 SAP NHL All-Star Skills results | All-Star Game coverage]
"When I was in college and juniors and stuff, [Kane] was a player that I was looking up to and watching," Gaudreau said. "When he was winning Stanley Cups, I was in college watching. He's a player I've tried to emulate my game after."
Gaudreau has been selected to the NHL All-Star Game five times in as many seasons and continues to reaffirm his status as one of the League's elite players. He's tied for third in the NHL in scoring with 73 points (29 goals, 44 assists); Kane, who at age 30 is playing in his eighth All-Star Game, is tied for fifth with 71 points (29 goals, 42 assists).
But being in the same company with Kane hasn't changed Gaudreau's admiration for his game much at all. There's even been some intimidation when they cross paths.
"At my first All-Star Game, I was pretty nervous to chat with him," Gaudreau said. "I've played in World Championships with him, and I'm still a little nervous to talk to him because he's a player I always grew up watching and was a really big fan of. [Kane] is a player that I still try to learn from and take little things from his game."
Gaudreau again showcased his smooth skating ability and stickhandling. He won the event last year in Tampa with a time of 24.650, topping Kane's 32.792.

Gaudreau was also impressed that he and Kane were not the only diminutive players on the ice: Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson is 5-foot-8, Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller is 5-foot-10, Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux is 5-foot-11, and Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho is 6-foot, as is New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal. None weighs more than 187 pounds.
"It's great to see a ton of smaller, fast, skilled guys," Gaudreau said. "Hopefully we can keep paving the way for younger kids. Hopefully they realize you don't have to be a giant to play in this League. You gotta be able to see and read the ice well. There's a future here in the NHL for those little guys."
The 25-year-old said being the defending champion didn't make it any easier.
"You got stickhandling, you've got to work on your edges, your crossovers, your power turns, and then, you gotta do a little magic with the stick," Gaudreau said. "Flipping the puck up or grabbing it on the top of the stick. Definitely a lot of different techniques you need in that competition."
Gaudreau is on pace to shatter his NHL career high in points (84 in 80 games last season), and he's the top scorer on the Flames (33-13-5), who lead the Western Conference with 71 points.
"I feel really comfortable on the ice right now," Gaudreau said. "I feel like I'm playing my best hockey, which is great. Our team's playing great and it's all going really well right now."

Results

Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames, 27.045 seconds
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks, 28.611
Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers, 30.270
Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets, 32.161
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche, 33.245
John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs, 35.210
Jeff Skinner, Buffalo Sabres, 35.407
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks, 43.622