Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - The fall of Monahan, and the fall of the Flames

2macinnis2 · 02-21-2021, 08:10 AM

It's undeniable this team, that was on a multi-year trajectory to run away with the Western Conference until February of 2019, is now in free fall. These threads have covered multiple factors that have contributed: coaching, lack of impactful in season trades, poor compete from the top end group. I can't help but think that the team still has a really nice roster. There are multiple factors, but to me the single greatest factor in the fall of the Flames from competing with the elites is the fall of Sean Monahan.

I've been an ardent Monahan supporter over the years, and at the beginning of the 18-19 season I even wrote here the jury was out on who would turn out better between him and MacKinnon (go back, it really wasn't clear then). I think there is uniform agreement on these boards that you CANNOT win big without a top end (top 10 maybe) #1 center. In his first few seasons, that was Monahan's trajectory. It was no accident that his best hockey was played in the first 75% of the 18-19 season, when the Flames were also as a group peaking. He was terrific and improving every year since the Flames drafted him. Then something happened.

There are a few possibilities. Maybe he was figured out to some extent, and his compete level has definitely dropped. It was my worry when it happened in 2019, and still is, that Monahan has a chronic health/injury problem that has derailed his career. Monahan has a history of back issues which kept him out for long stretches in the past, and I remember well how marginalized he appeared when he returned after being out with the "thumb" injury in the 2019 playoffs. At that time, I was pretty convinced that it was his back/core that was his problem, not his thumb. That is a very difficult problem to shake for many people/athletes. Disclaimer: I am a medical person but this I'm writing this purely as a fan and what I see as a fan, I have no inside medical knowledge of any of the Flames' health or injury history!

In any case, ever since then Monahan simply has not been a #1 center. Lindholm is a very good and capable #2. Backlund is a fine #3. But this team has not had a #1 center since Monahan was injured in 2019. The Flames have mostly played Monahan as a #1 center even though right now he is probably one of the 5-10 worst top centers in the NHL. I see this as the biggest reason the team has faltered.

Top centers are hard to find. There are only a couple of truly elite elites, and that probably isn't necessary TBH. The Flames needed Monahan to be at least as good as a Schiefle or ROR or something, but to me this seems very unlikely to happen, and again I think it is because chronic injury moreso than his ability (I do think at his best Monahan was a level better than Lindholm or even Schiefle, and clearly a top 10 center in the league).

I didn't really start this thread to offer a solution... I think this just stinks as a great young player's career has seemingly gone way off course. I wrote this more to just point out my long-standing observation as to why everything has seemingly fallen apart.

02-21-2021, 08:10 AM	#1
2macinnis2 Scoring Winger Join Date: Mar 2006 Exp:	The fall of Monahan, and the fall of the Flames It's undeniable this team, that was on a multi-year trajectory to run away with the Western Conference until February of 2019, is now in free fall. These threads have covered multiple factors that have contributed: coaching, lack of impactful in season trades, poor compete from the top end group. I can't help but think that the team still has a really nice roster. There are multiple factors, but to me the single greatest factor in the fall of the Flames from competing with the elites is the fall of Sean Monahan. I've been an ardent Monahan supporter over the years, and at the beginning of the 18-19 season I even wrote here the jury was out on who would turn out better between him and MacKinnon (go back, it really wasn't clear then). I think there is uniform agreement on these boards that you CANNOT win big without a top end (top 10 maybe) #1 center. In his first few seasons, that was Monahan's trajectory. It was no accident that his best hockey was played in the first 75% of the 18-19 season, when the Flames were also as a group peaking. He was terrific and improving every year since the Flames drafted him. Then something happened. There are a few possibilities. Maybe he was figured out to some extent, and his compete level has definitely dropped. It was my worry when it happened in 2019, and still is, that Monahan has a chronic health/injury problem that has derailed his career. Monahan has a history of back issues which kept him out for long stretches in the past, and I remember well how marginalized he appeared when he returned after being out with the "thumb" injury in the 2019 playoffs. At that time, I was pretty convinced that it was his back/core that was his problem, not his thumb. That is a very difficult problem to shake for many people/athletes. Disclaimer: I am a medical person but this I'm writing this purely as a fan and what I see as a fan, I have no inside medical knowledge of any of the Flames' health or injury history! In any case, ever since then Monahan simply has not been a #1 center. Lindholm is a very good and capable #2. Backlund is a fine #3. But this team has not had a #1 center since Monahan was injured in 2019. The Flames have mostly played Monahan as a #1 center even though right now he is probably one of the 5-10 worst top centers in the NHL. I see this as the biggest reason the team has faltered. Top centers are hard to find. There are only a couple of truly elite elites, and that probably isn't necessary TBH. The Flames needed Monahan to be at least as good as a Schiefle or ROR or something, but to me this seems very unlikely to happen, and again I think it is because chronic injury moreso than his ability (I do think at his best Monahan was a level better than Lindholm or even Schiefle, and clearly a top 10 center in the league). I didn't really start this thread to offer a solution... I think this just stinks as a great young player's career has seemingly gone way off course. I wrote this more to just point out my long-standing observation as to why everything has seemingly fallen apart.