Should we bench Monahan for a game or 2?

[Heavy Jack]

On pace to another big season in the face off circle - has taken 516, on pace to about 1500 and is at 52.7 % with 272 wins so far. Slightly less taken this year then the previous two but that's because Gully is rolling 4 lines waaaay more then Hartley ever did.

He finished 20th in selke voting 2 years ago and was 5th in voting for the Byng that same year, last year was 14th for the Byng. He's got more defensive prowess than your giving him credit for, I think he claws back to a 50 point pace by the end of the month here and continues to be one of our best face off guys.

[Resolute 14]

Centres who scored 60 points last year and their contract AAV this year:

Crosby $8.7m
Thornton $6.75m
Pavelski $6.0m
Kuznetsov $3.0m
Kopitar $10.0m
Seguin $5.75m
Tavares $5.5m
Backstrom $6.7m
Giroux $8.275
Stamkos $8.5m
Forsberg $6.0m
Spezza $7.5m
Monahan $6.375m
Krejci $7.250m
Getzlaf $8.250m
Carter $5.273m
Scheifele $6.125m
O'Reilly $7.5m
Johansen $4.0m

So yes, Monahan is paid appropriately. Most of the guys in this group below him in salary are due big raises either after this year or next.

[foshizzle11]

So, the last three posts should solidify why he is paid the way he is, why you don't bench a struggling 22 year old who is arguably our best centre man. He played through his struggles, the team was also struggling and GG has created lines that all have youth and veterans. GG has created some good balance for this team in the last few weeks and the team is playing better because our veteran guys have helped our young superstars.

Monahan will only improve as a player, he is still so young. I think people forget that and just look at his price tag now. He deserves what he got and he deserves support from us.

He is getting his mojo back, the flames are winning, JG is looking his old self again.

Can this thread die, why is it still on the first page?

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

Can this thread die, why is it still on the first page?

Probably because you felt the need to reply to it

[MikePatton]

He's getting points now and he's playing well defensively. At this point, we can't really ask for much more. Let's just hope he keeps it up. And, if he does have a cold stretch later on, I hope the defensive side of his game doesn't suffer again.

[CsInMyBlood]

Still don't think he is playing his best right now, but good to see some flashes of the Monahan we know and love.

Putting up these points can only help his confidence which is obviously a huge part of everything.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

I think Monahan is overrated.

But he's worth $6.3m for sure.

The one thing he's got that nobody can argue is a nose for the net, and a goal-scoring centerman who can sink 30+ goals is worth $$$. And for one who has a solid decade of tread life left, you can add a couple of extra $$ to that.

That being said, he's simply not on the level of players like Kopitar, Getzlaf, McDavid, Crosby, Toews, Bergeron, et al, and I'd argue that as a complete player he's not even quite as good as players like Barkov and McKinnon.

But even just as a trigger man, his goal scoring alone is worth what he's being paid. Anything above that, such as his very solid face off skills or his admittedly recently improved defensive game, is a bonus. And any improvement he makes over the coming years is a cherry on top.

I still think he's quite a one-dimensional player, but it's the most expensive dimension, and the hardest to find.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

...I still think he's quite a one-dimensional player, but it's the most expensive dimension, and the hardest to find.

I don't think he is, though. Monahan's assists totals have improved in every one of his seasons in both Juniour and the NHL. That is not just from being the beneficiary of playing with another talented player—that is because he legitimately has great vision, and can in fact carry and distribute the puck.

[dino7c]

This is why most players would rather play in the US where hockey isn't #1

Dude leads his entire draft in goal scoring but after a two month slump people have their pitchforks out because he signed a contract at the going rate

[Calgary4LIfe]

I actually think that the right time to bench Monahan is right now. You just can't bench Monahan on a cold streak in case he loses more confidence. However, I think now is the appropriate time to to bench him. Why?

I argue he is simply becoming quite the tyrant burning down all those villages. Heck, there are reports out there that he is eating flaming pucks so he can shoot them out of his arse during games. Flaming puck projectile people!!! Look what this thread unleashed onto this world.

The time to bench Monahan is now. Before it is too late.