3rd line centers are often slotted in to a role where they are expected to neutralize the other team's top line starting in their d zone - strong on faceoffs, tenacious checkers, and asked to move the puck up ice, where the top 6 guys can take over.
Monahan is expected to be top 6, Jones is 4th line at best, and the hope is for Knight to fit that job description, I am speculating.
Jones was only good enough to be a 4th line grinder. He exceeded expectations with that game where he scored the 1-0 winner, and had a handful of decent showings thereafter, but an NHLer's best way to stay an NHLer is to do the job at a high enough level every night
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