Quote:
Originally Posted by gvitaly
He was also an unknown in the league. Teams didn’t game plan for him as much. He had an easier time getting lost in coverage, all while getting shelter minutes, and PP time. If i’m not mistaken it was also Hartley’s team, and those teams were more known for sacrificing defense for a quick transition and rush chances, but I can’t remember if it was a factor.
It was still an awesome accomplishment, but you also need to have some perspective when waiving the 22 goal flag.
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You could make nuanced arguments like this about every player in the league at any moment in time.
- Wayne scored 92 in a season... yeah but he played in the 80s.
- Mathews might top 65 this year... yeah but scoring is up league-wide.
- Johnny is going to get 100+ points... yeah but he's playing with two other stars.
Fact is, Monahan scored 22 in the NHL as a rookie, playing on a crappy team and without Johnny. The league quickly took notice of him yet he still improved year over year until injuries took their toll.