That's just it, this isn't some new problematic Monahan, it's just a continuation of a spiral that some of us have been watching, commenting on, and wondering about for a few years here. He's injured every year, all year last year we found out, before that - broken fingers, wrists, ankles... i can't even remember... and he plays through all kinds of stuff (but is ineffective while doing so naturally).
The issue is, he's not fast, never has been, and the game is faster and faster. So he cheats, he doesn't play low enough in the D zone because he wants to get a bit of a break if the puck turns over.
The OT goal is Monahan standing still trying to make something happen, and he flubs it up and 2 guys outskate him the other way. Move your feet, Sean.
I'm hoping he improves, hoping he has a great year. But Monahan is not a top class 1C, never has been. He's a second tier first line center - league is full of such, the true elite 1C are hard to find. He's not that. And as is being pointed out, he's not other things either. If he's not scoring, he's not helping much.
I can't remember who, but it was pointed out that this team doesn't have a legit 1C, or a legit top D man. If they are going to win, it's going to be by out working other teams and Markstrom making saves (which hasn't been good enough, but hopefully will trend up here).
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