Sean Monahan turns 19 on Saturday and, just like every other birthday, it’s probably going to be another celebration spent around teammates.
His family — John and Cathy and older sister Jacqueline — are in town from Brampton, Ont., but soon, they’ll have to head home which means he’ll have to resort again to phone calls, texts, and FaceTime. He’s currently living in a hotel room with no car, which is fine by him as his golden-doodle Samson is well taken care of at his parents place. Breakfasts are at the rink, dinners are with teammates, and Calgary is exactly where he wants to be.
But the truth it, it’s a life of limbo right now for the Calgary Flames’ sixth overall 2013 National Hockey League draft pick.
He’s awaiting his fate, enjoying the moment but counting down the days to Game 9 or Game 10 — when general manager Jay Feaster either decides to keep him for the entire 82-game season or send him back to the Ontario Hockey League with the Ottawa 67’s before his entry level contract kicks in.
As father — first and always — John Monahan sighs.
“You just try to have answers for whatever happens,” he was saying the other day. “Because it’s all out of our control, right? Like, I laughed at my son the other day. We were talking and I said (jokingly), ‘Oh, well maybe I’ll call the coach.’ We had a good chuckle about it. But there is no say. Really, we’ve had no say his whole career.
“He just went and played a team game. We just watch and enjoy it and hope things work out.”
that is a good article. I like the direction of the scouting for the Flames. Great to see them picking great character guys. Can't wait to see what this kid can do moving forward!
Dang glad he's a Flame. Good article. The kid has a bright future. Even if he (seemingly unlikely) busts offensively, his size and hockey IQ guarantees he's got a long future in the NHL.
Have to love his smarts. In the Vancouver game, Lack stopped him on his first good two on one chance, next chance he got, Monahan buried it and it wasn't just pure luck. He looked pass the whole time and got Lack to give him just enough room.
That's what winners do, they are constantly improving and trying to be better. Very refreshing change from the stale and complacent players we've had here in recent years where "okay was okay".
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Calgary Flames, PLEASE GO TO THE NET! AND SHOOT THE PUCK! GENERATING OFFENSE IS NOT DIFFICULT! SKATE HARD, SHOOT HARD, CRASH THE NET HARD!
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I always wanted Monahan over Lindholm... but on draft day, I was starting to think Nurse would be the best direction to go...as it stands, of course I'm ecstatic with the choice, though I think Nurse is going to be a great one too.
oh, I would have been happy with Nichushkin as well.. perhaps you're being sarcastic skudr248, but I think he's going to be a fantastic offensive threat as well... though I'd take Monahan over him at this point.
Even on draft day, my thinking was I'd take Toews over Kovalchuk any day, and those seemed like the best-case comparables... of course, I don't really know anything
Lindholm and nichushkin are possible busts. Possibly Drouin too. At this point monahan is at worst a 2nd line centre with HUGE upside. Hard not to see Toews in him. But I still hope he's sent down and traded. I don't want him to see the contentious losing he might have to this season.
I was pulling for Monahan to be around at #6 for the flames. Everything I had seen, read, and heard made me think this was the kid the flames needed. I know everyone was hoping to move up in the draft but if the flames couldn't get McKinnon, I didn't want to move up cause lots of drafts had Monahan at 6 for the flames.
This kid has everything a developing team wants... A big centreman with loads of skill, tons of hockey IQ, and maturity beyond his years. I agree with the comment that at least 3 teams will regret not taking Monahan... Down the road, I think Monahan will be the 2nd best player out of this draft. Hopefully, it will be like comparing Crosby (McKinnon) to Toews (Monahan). There's no doubt Crosby is the better player but toews has made the Blackhawks into a dynasty.
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The six-foot-two, 200-pound centreman was also a minus-three on the night but according to head coach Bob Hartley — who is asked about the kid on a daily basis — it’s better to throw him directly into the fire.
“There’s lots of junior stuff still in his game,” Hartley admitted. “But if we’re going to keep him and not play him, we might as well send him down. I was aware he wasn’t having a very good game from one end to the other, but it was not by a lack of trying, it was probably by a lack of experience."
“It always makes me laugh — a young coach cannot coach in the NHL because he has no experience. A young player cannot play in the NHL because he has no experience. If you don’t play him, you can’t go to Walgreens and buy experience off the shelf or call your doctor for a prescription . . . experience is a combination of success and failures.”
Just a reminder folks. Hartley is not an idiot.
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Lindholm and nichushkin are possible busts. Possibly Drouin too. At this point monahan is at worst a 2nd line centre with HUGE upside. Hard not to see Toews in him. But I still hope he's sent down and traded. I don't want him to see the contentious losing he might have to this season.
A little early to be putting Lindholm, Nichushkin and Drouin in the "possible busts" column.
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Monahan Article
