[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by really?

This argument is the one I find most unsupported historically. Johnny Gaudreau has won at all levels outside of the NHL. He has moved the needle in the NCAAs, World Juniors, Worlds, all star competitions, etc... You can argue that he has been surrounded by talent, but by definition world tournaments involve the best of the best, and he has historically more than held his own. Now he gets to Calgary and all of a sudden he is something of an anchor to a guy who does not possess that historical pedigree?

I'm a Sean Monahan fan, but I would contest an assertion that he's carrying Johnny Gaudreau. Monahan's greatest strength is possessing a first liner's sense of the play around him, and the ability to play within his limitations. He does not possess slick hands or elusive footwork which allow him to make defenders vulnerable one on one, and he doesn't try to be that guy. His strengths do allow him to contribute to an offensive line, but you could insert Tkachuk, Dube or Mangiapane with Gaudreau and Lindholm and probably obtain similar results on line one.

All of this is not said to denigrate Sean Monahan, but rather to point out that he is a cerebral player, who by my estimation appears to be honing his game, but his greatest worth to this team remains being a strong complimentary piece. The eyes tell me he has committed to working on skating, he is becoming a sound defensive player, and he is carrying the puck to a greater degree, but he remains committed to playing a conservative game. Nothing wrong with that, you'll find those guys on championship teams, but suggesting that he is capable of carrying a first line, or even demanding this of him is unfair to the player. To suggest that Johnny Gaudreau is JAG without Sean Monahan is similarly unjust in my lay opinion.

really?

He's only argued that they are co-dependent. Has anyone (or more than 1-2 people...it's the internet afterall) claimed Monny is carrying JG?