[Jore]

I don't think the problem with Monahan is that he's not angry or motivated. He's just playing the same game he always has, which is to look for openings in the offensive zone to get shots off, and he's managed to that a couple of times when he's been in the offensive zone this series including his goal.

The problem is that they never get into the offensive zone with control against ANY Colorado line, including their fourth line. In the regular season Monahan can get away with not being able to do anything in the d zone or the neutral zone or on the forecheck and making the wrong choice on the cycle in the offensive zone more often than not when he has time to think. But in the playoffs when teams are specifically keying in on how Gaudreau is Calgary's only option for a zone exit and transition on that line you need other skaters on the line, especially the centre, to get the puck from deep in your own zone and move it up well, through skating or smart passes or deception or knowing when to hold on to the puck for an extra few seconds. Monahan has just never been able to do that since he's been in Calgary.

Him being mad doesn't change how he just hasn't had the pace, vision, puck control, or strength to play well as a 2 way centre. He's great as a goal scorer if you can surround him with high-level execution and puck control, but you want more from a cup contending 1C and in any case the surrounding cast hasn't been executing either because of how Colorado has been pressuring the D and Gaudreau because of a big void in the centre of the ice