Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames_F.T.W
This is hilarious for its accuracy.
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That sells Monahan short, but it's still kinda true.
Monahan can find an opening like nobody I've ever seen. If the D makes even a slight mistake, he's in position and capitalizing before they can blink. But he doesn't
force mistakes any more than the average player, so if the D stay in position and their coverage is good, he doesn't create anything.
Gaudreau on the other hand forces mistakes all over the ice. He beats guys one-on-one, pulls a defender out of position before moving the puck into the hole they created, and changes the angle of attack with his skating before the D can reposition.
It's why they're such a deadly combo: Monahan needs someone to create an opening, and he finds that soft spot in the coverage every time. And Gaudreau creates opportunities for his linemates every time the puck touches his stick, but his linemate still needs to be there to finish. Pull Monahan away from Gaudreau, and he doesn't get nearly as many dangerous shots and his scoring will go down. But pull Gaudreau away from Monahan, and you'll see a ton of plays where his linemate doesn't see the opening, or doesn't get his stick on the puck, or can't finish an open chance.