Quote:
Originally Posted by Crumpy-Gunt
Actually if you compare the first 15 or so games of either players career.. Monahan got more offensive zone starts. Until recently Bennett was playing a defensive role for us. I do agree that Monahan at this age had a better natural positioning and reading of the center of the ice, doing all the little things a center needs to. But it's not as if Bennett doesn't come back or play both halves of the ice with equal intensity. Also the time Monahan came into our team was much different. There's a size difference and even at both of their drafts it was different predictions, Monahan was said to be the most NHL ready prospect whereas it was evident Bennett didn't have much to prove in chl but he was perhaps too small to play his game against men. Which i think is still holding him back a bit. I think he would be outright dominant wth another 15lba of muscle.
Mony is just not as skilled offensively, doesn't have that great skating, plus he is rather lethargic and not engaged enough for someone his size. I thought he would be the dude for our top line. I now think he will thrive in a 2nd line c position. He is also more suited to it than Bennett. Not to mention sam complements Gaudreau better imo. It's a no brainer to have Bennett play with Gaudreau.
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I'm not saying Monahan doesn't get plenty of offensive zone starts, although the stat is probably skewed because he started the season with Johnny and Hudler -pure offensive players.
I'm basing it more on matchups. Hartley would never throw Bennett out to check the opponents top line. He does that with Monahan (and more than he used to because of Backlund not doing well at it this year).