Calgary Flames highlight-machine Johnny Gaudreau wasn’t selected for Saturday’s breakaway challenge at the 2016 NHL all-star skills competition in Nashville.
That’s a shame for fans.
But it’s probably best for the safety of the Flames’ leading scorer and budding superstar.
A year ago, Gaudreau wanted to light his stick-blade on fire for the creativity-counts competition — the hockey equivalent of a slam-dunk contest — but NHL officials poo-pooed the plan.
His idea was swiped last weekend by Sweden’s Linus Omark, whose blazing breakaway at the KHL’s all-star shindig is now a YouTube hit.
“It sort of ruined it by the guy in the KHL doing it, so we might have to come up with something new,” Flames captain Mark Giordano joked Friday in a televised interview with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.