\u201cHe\u2019s always known what he is as a player, which isn\u2019t always the case for young kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier spoke highly of new acquisition Andre Gasseau recently.<\/p>\n
The Boston Bruins\u2019 2021 seventh-rounder put up just under a point-per-game in his first three years at Boston College. Last season, the 6-foot-4 forward notched six goals and 23 points in 23 games, also captaining the Eagles.<\/p>\n
After his senior year, Gasseau was unlikely to sign with the Bruins. Grier dealt 2026 picks No. 104 and No. 157 for Gasseau and No. 120. The 23-year-old signed his two-year entry-level contract on Jul. 1.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-4 forward\u2019s college scoring rate doesn\u2019t jump off the page, but Grier and Gasseau know that won\u2019t be his role.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe like the character, the compete level, think he has a chance to be a really good bottom-six player in the league,\u201d Grier said. \u201cReally good size, strong on the puck, plays both sides, skates well, really good around the net.\u201d<\/p>\n
At San Jose Sharks development camp, the Garden Grove, CA native talked about his trade back west, his play style, and the leadership qualities that he\u2019ll add to the Sharks or San Jose Barracuda.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig body, strong on the puck,\u201d Cuda head coach John McCarthy said of Gasseau. \u201cWe\u2019re doing the puck protection [drills] yesterday, and the coaches were leaning on him. He\u2019s strong, he\u2019s big. I actually think he moves pretty well too, and he made some nice plays out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gasseau, on his initial reaction to the trade:<\/strong><\/p>\n It was awesome. I think, ultimately, coming back home is always great. Just super-excited to be in the Sharks organization. Can\u2019t wait to get started.<\/p>\n Gasseau, on what happened with him and the Bruins:<\/strong><\/p>\n When we got closer to after my season, just looking at different options, the Sharks were always in the [spotlight] there for me. They\u2019re on the uprise, so I was just super excited to sign here.<\/p>\n Gasseau, on the San Jose Sharks really wanting him:<\/strong><\/p>\n Means a lot. Through that process, just [felt] like, they really wanted me. Felt that connection right off the bat. Whether that\u2019s the \u2018Cuda or the Sharks, I\u2019m ready to do whatever it takes to win, and keep developing.<\/p>\n Gasseau, on when he realized he was suited for a bottom-six role:<\/strong><\/p>\n Obviously, everyone wants to be in the top-six. I know my skill-set, know what I\u2019m good at. Need to keep working on the skating and the stickhandling and stuff like that, but I think my strengths can really contribute to a bottom-six, that\u2019s how I\u2019m going to make my living\u2026<\/p>\n A little bit before college, I think [it\u2019s] the players you play with. I was lucky enough to play with [Cutter Gauthier] and [Will Smith] and all those guys, so I took from that.<\/p>\n But at the end of the day, I think I\u2019m best suited for the third, fourth line. Play against the top players, kill penalties, win face-offs, do whatever it takes. So, kind of cliche, but it is what it is.<\/p>\n Gasseau, on being a leader at BC and in the future:<\/strong><\/p>\n I was lucky enough to be kind of co-captain with Brady Berard and Lukas Gustafsson, so [we] all pulled the same rope. [As far as] qualities as of a leader, it takes the whole team. I was lucky enough to be a great part of a great group, and so I\u2019m just looking to bring that experience here. Obviously there\u2019s going to be older guys than me on the \u2018Cuda and the Sharks, and so I\u2019m just learning off of them as well.<\/p>\n Gasseau, on if he\u2019s usually been a leader on his teams:<\/strong><\/p>\n Not always. I think [it] kind of started in juniors. You play with older guys and you pick up things here and there. [Development] camps as well. Guys that know me, I\u2019m more of a lead by action kind of guy. I\u2019ll speak when I have to, but there\u2019s always going to be those guys that rile the guys up, and [are] more vocal, but I like to lead by action.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cHe\u2019s always known what he is as a player, which isn\u2019t always the case for young kids.\u201d San…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":920347,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[42],"tags":[293550,3103,38286,176752,30239,111475,30242,28400,293,41128,1328,62,67,132,68,5956],"class_list":["post-920346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-andre-gasseau","tag-boston-bruins","tag-boston-college","tag-cutter-gauthier","tag-development-camp","tag-garden-grove","tag-john-mccarthy","tag-mike-grier","tag-nhl","tag-san-jose-barracuda","tag-san-jose-sharks","tag-sports","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us","tag-will-smith"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116883114212080328","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=920346"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920346\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/920347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=920346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=920346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=920346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}