Quote:
Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper
The best predictor of the future would be the past and Gaudreau’s past would suggest he’s one of the most talented and dynamic players in the league. He’s going to be just fine when he finds a center that can pull his own weight, then Gaudreau can play more off the puck, which I think would make him infinitely more dangerous because he can turn on a dime and cut well either side laterally.
It’s Monahan that’s going to be in trouble. He can’t create his own shot. His goal scoring career is predicated on someone passing him the puck in an opportune area, without that, he’s what we’re seeing today (3 even strength goals on the season). He’s basically the equivalent of James Neal at center. If he has no distributor, then he has no goals. Now to be fair, he’s vastly improved in the aggression and defensive effort side of his game, but I don’t think he’s ready for any type of 2 way, shut down role yet.
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I just don't see the situation as so clearly different for one player over the other. Prior to last season BOTH Gaudreau and Monahan were consistent, premiere players at their respective positions. BOTH exuded a tonne of chemistry and creativity for several years together. BOTH always looked better together than they did when they had to play with other players on the roster. You confidently assert based on Gaudreau's past that he will be just fine, while simultaneously ignoring Monahan's past—between his draft year and the end of 2019 he was the #31 highest scorer in the entire NHL—#18 among all centres.
It's a duo that once worked really well, and worked well for a pretty long time. It no longer works, and while I am not especially confident that either player can be as good as they once were, I would bet that both would benefit a lot from a change of scenery.