Thank you GFP, that is exactly the point.
For people wanting to jettison Monahan, that is what is truly absurd.
3 years into his career, no one knew Berger was going to turn into a perennial Selke Candidate. In fact, after his 31 goal season, some had thought he had plateaud and that's when his defensive game really started to turn into what we see out of him today.
Bergeron was not a defensive dynamo by his third season by any means. Hence the -28 in his 3rd year.
It is really frustrating to have some people reply without actually doing any research but just throwing crap around.
Bergeron did not become the defensive stalwart he has until his 6 or 7th season in the NHL.
The real difference between the two at the same point in their careers is Bergeron was playing 2nd line duties at Maximum behind guys like Joseph Stumpel and Joe Thornton.
Bergeron was far from being the #1 Center as Monahan instantly became ours and Monahan didn't have the luxury of sheltered minutes to develop his game, like Bergeron did.
Monny has had to do it on the fly, logging top line minutes against other teams top lines.
If you ask me, that puts Monny well ahead of where Bergeron was when he was at the same point in his career.
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