posted in another thread where folks were questioning chiasson's value and skill. I think it's relevant here also.
when i watch the top line play this year, i feel that other team's have really tried to adjust to Gaudreau. He's at his best when he can hit the offensive zone with the puck, wiht speed, and a little bit of space causing the defense to either try to:
1) commit (ie. move into gaudreau's path) which allows gaudreau to utilize his dipsy-doodling skills, quick lateral movements, to dangle into the middle
2) back off a bit, which allows gaudreau to curl back and use the newly available time to find a team mate.
Other teams seem to have been able to position themselves to create enough traffic around Gaudreau at the offensive line to not allow him to play to his strengths.
So instead we are seeing him 1) Skate/deke right into traffic, 2) pass it off to monahan/chiasson to skate the puck into the offensive zone and try to create something, 3) pass it off to monahan/chiasson who dump it in (mostly into gaudreau's corner, which annoys me to no end, as he will likely lose the puck battle).
I think the reason monahan/chiasson look so meh at the moment, is that point 2 is really not playing to their strength of what makes them successful. Both would be better suited trying to win a dump in puck battle, or crashing the net to create lanes/opportunities for others.
Now one other opinion i'd like to add. The changes in the breakout strategy, the removal of the stretch pass, has greatly reduced the 'rush' opportunities to gain the zone. Instead, the 5 man unit breakouts, have given the opposition the time needed to get into good position to create traffic at their own blue line to create the havoc needed to get the puck out of gaudreau's hands quickly. As such, gaudreau isn't able to play to his strengths listed above.
Monahan/Gaudreau have struggled, but i think there is a large component of their struggles that are based off opposition adjustments to their style of play over the past 2 years.
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