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Gaudreau files trademark application for ‘Johnny Hockey’

Johnny Gaudreau

Calgary Flames’ Johnny Gaudreau celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014, in Calgary, Alberta. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)

AP

Most NHL front office types would be concerned upon hearing the words “he’s just doing what Johnny Manziel did.”

But in the case of Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau, it’s probably not such a bad idea.

More, from TSN:

After NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel turned heads while winning the Heisman Trophy and made headlines by trademarking the term “Johnny Football” while starring at at Texas A&M, the NHL’s Johnny Gaudreau is following suit during his own breakout rookie season with the NHL’s Calgary Flames.

TSN has learned that Gaudreau, winner of the Hobey Baker Award as U.S. college hockey’s best player last year, has trademarked the term “Johnny Hockey” with patent and trademark offices in both Canada and the U.S.

Like Manziel, Gaudreau wants to slap his name on sports equipment and apparel, not to mention athletic shirts, sleepwear, athletic tops, shorts, skirts and gloves.

Gaudreau’s application is pending in both countries.

Gaudreau has burst onto the scene in his first NHL season, sitting third on the Flames in scoring (32 points) while sharing the team lead in goals, with 13. He was named the NHL’s first star of the week on Dec. 29 and was recently chosen as one of six rookies who will participate NHL All-Star Skills Competition in Columbus on Jan. 24.

“We were concerned that people were going to abuse the Johnny Hockey name, coming out with Johnny Hockey shirts and stuff and we wanted to make sure that did not occur,” Lewis Gross, Gaudreau’s agent, told TSN. “We felt that Johnny was going to be a special player and if he takes off the way we felt he could, he has the potential to have endorsement opportunities that could be very valuable.”

Per Gross, Gaudreau has already inked promotional deals with Pizza Pizza (a restaurant that sells, you guessed it, seafood. No I’m kidding, it’s pizza) and a Calgary-based automotive outfit.