Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
Healthy scratch? Monahan was about .5 PPG in that little stretch (actually 10 games unless you are counting the half game in which Gaudreau left). Below his .75 career average at that point, but not scratch-worthy. In fact, he had a better November in the second half without Gaudreau than his first half with him. He was on a 3 game point streak right before Gaudreau came back.
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Do you not remember the story at all? I remember it being huge at the time. If memory serves, it went something like this, Monahan had a 5 game pointless streak about mid way into Gaudreau’s injury. With Monahan already in the dog house, Gulutzan goes up to him privately and says something to the tune of “I have every right to scratch you right now with the way you’re playing, but I’m going to demote you down to the 4th line instead.” So this was sometime in late November and they were on the road against the Islanders, Monahan ends up on the fourth line and comes out like a bat out of hell and ends up scoring the lone goal for the Flames. I think he had another good game in there somewhere and then Gaudreau came back shortly after.
But there is no doubt that Monahan was struggling during that period. I don’t think the stats tell the whole story. When the coach is demoting the #1 center to the 4th line, you can’t be playing too well.