Quote:
Originally Posted by kn
http://www.hockeyprospectus.com/arti...articleid=1520
Although the report also states that he is a high-end offensive playmaker. But if that's the case, why project him to be a defensive center?
I'm probably reading it incorrectly. I have no expertise. Who really knows? At the other end, he's the second coming of Jonathan Toews.
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The gist of what I've read on Monahan is that he's a complete player. The consensus observations are that he is a 2-way centre that plays all 3 zones. Somewhere along the way people started interpreting '2-way' as 'defensive'. Then some posters panicked and started comparing him to various dud centre prospects from years' past.
In October this guy was projected to go top 3 & deemed an elite offensive prospect. Since then Drouin tore the Q a new A & Barkov cemented himself as a top prospect. His stock has not dropped; other guys have had excellent seasons. Monahan's team sucked. As it stands, he seems to be thought of as a #1 centre, but not a superstar/franchise talent.
The only worrying trait that props up is that his skating isn't at the same level as his other attributes. That doesn't seem to affect the abilities of Tavares. Like Tavares, Monahan seems to dictate the play & pops up in the right place at the right time to make clutch plays.
He is exactly the kind of player the Flames have been lacking.