Flames prospect Johnny Gaudreau has been chosen as one of five finalists for the ESPY award - ESPN's version of the Academy Awards - as the top male college athlete. The honour is a slam dunk for Gaudreau, an offensive dynamo with 36 goals and 80 points in 40 games for Boston College before turning pro for the Flames season finale. The winger, who'll celebrate his 21st birthday next month, has a legitimate shot to be a full-time NHLer as early as next season. His size is an issue - the Flames are fooling nobody by listing him as 5-foot-9 - but Gaudreau's wizardry with the puck is obvious. After scoring a goal in his NHL debut, Gaudreau joined the U.S. team for the world championships and racked up two goals and 10 points in eight games. "It gave me a lot more confidence," Gaudreau said. "I learned a lot out there playing with NHL guys, playing against NHL guys. Getting to play against (Alex) Ovechkin and (Jaromir) Jagr - I think Jagr was playing in the NHL before I was even born - is something pretty special. I think it's going to help me in the long run."