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Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher
What makes you say that?
Gaudreau when not on his game actually actively hurts the Flames with his turnovers, poor puck decisions, inability to win a puck battle. He's magic in open ice but he rarely gets much open ice these days. If the NHL playoffs had 3 on 3 OT then hell yeah, you'd never get rid of him. But Gaudreau is the type of player who is likely to be less effective in the playoffs as he's the type of player you can shut down fairly easily with physicality, hooking, holding and obstruction. We haven't seen strides in Gaudreau's game this year, in fact he's playing his worst hockey of his career.
Monahan meanwhile has had his offensive numbers suffer due to Gaudreau's poor year but unlike Gaudreau we can see him trying to work on his weaknesses. It seems like he's making strides in his 200 ft game, his face-offs, his physicality.
After last playoffs I wasn't sure which one of Gaudreau/Monahan was a problem but it seemed like one of them might be. After this season so far I'd say I'd rather bet on Monahan long term than Gaudreau.
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I've been on "Anti-Monahan" boat for a while and maybe it suffers from only seeing every third or fourth Flames game, but every game I see I have the same thoughts. I do agree that one of Gaudreau or Monahan has to go, but I make the case that Gaudreau will get out of his funk no matter who his line mates are. Monahan needs Gaudreau (or another top line play making talent) to get out of his funk because he won't drive that line himself.
I'm gonna get eviscerated for this comparison (I made it last year after the Neal signing so there is consistency...) but: He reminds me of prime James Neal... but center. That is... not good. He is a "top" line center that cannot play center. If he was a winger, he'd be a great finisher, like Neal in his prime, but he brings nothing else to the table. As a center there are just too many other responsibilities, being a finisher that doesn't back check, doesn't distribute and seems to avoid the "tough areas" you become a boat anchor. you are forcing your team to find a defensively responsible winger who isn't bad offensively as well. There just aren't that many Jere Lehtinens in the world. While you seem to think that Monahan is making strides, I just don't see it (which I admit could be a situation where I just don't watch him enough). Even last night, he always seemed a step behind defensively.
The player that I've always put next to Monahan is Horvat (for obvious reasons. They're in the same division, both the people on this board and myself will see the comparable with a regular frequency). Do you take a 30+ goal scoring center who needs that set up man (traditionally a center's job is distribution) to be successful or do you take the 25+ goal scoring center who will also play against the opposing team's top line and be the driving force on his line, no matter who his wingers are? They're both having down years, so the comparison is still good, it's not like Horvat has been lights out either. I might be biased, and framing it in a fairly unfair way but... Yeah.
There is also the final reason I trade Monahan over Gaudreau: You'll get more. Despite everything that I've just said, NHL GMs are in love with big scoring centers, no matter what else is going on around them. You can easily get a equal winger plus more. Move Lindholm to center, let him be the defensive presence on a forward line with Gaudreau and someone else. If Gaudreau bounces back, the line is no worse off than it was.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toonage
All else being equal, you'd keep the centre
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Normally, yes. I don't feel this situation is equal though.