[united]

Elias Lindholm is the best centreman on the team and would excel if given the role full-time. The centreman is the most important position on the ice, and right now the Flames' top line has a one-zone centreman which doesn't cut it on a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

Related, Sean Monahan is a top line centre, but is in the 25-30 range league-wide. Physically he is WAY more engaged this season, but he still isn't doing the things that lead to success in his own zone and it's causing nightmares for the team. Without a centreman willing to put in the effort - stops and starts, initiating switches, aggressively confronting players down low, taking hits to make plays, focusing on stick position - you end up in fire drill mode in your own end and your chances of breaking out cleanly with possession and speed is seriously compromised. Monahan hasn't had the requisite attention to detail for a few seasons now. Watch the effort level Patrice Bergeron, Brayden Point, Ryan O'Reilly, to name a few, put in below the dots in their own zone relative to Monahan and it's eye-opening.

This reminds me of a few seasons ago when the Steven Stamkos was shifted to winger duty temporarily to reset his game. While he was unhappy with the change, as no doubt Monahan would be, it allowed Stamkos a fresh perspective on what wingers need of their centreman to maximize success of the unit as a whole and everyone came out better as a result. Stamkos in particular is better because of it, and Monahan will be, too.

Swapping Monahan and Lindholm allows the more determined and better defensive player with a higher work rate (Lindholm) do the dirty work and get the puck moving toward the other end. Monahan in turn gets to the offensive end quicker which will help alleviate the time Gaudreau needs to spend delaying before hitting the trailer. Monahan on the right, as a left shot who has the extraordinary ability to get his deadly release off whether out wide, in tight, and on the front or back foot, has enhanced ability to change angles further complicating things for goaltenders.

Play players to their strengths. Lindholm is outstanding defensively, Gaudreau is top five in the league in transition, and Monahan while not overpowering has one of the most unique and deceptive releases in the league.

Maybe it sticks, maybe it doesn't. But right now the line is a disaster, and a change - permanent or otherwise - can spark a return to dominance.