Sean Monahan playing hurt?

[yads]

So, what's everyone's thoughts about it? Rumour? Speculation? Legit worry? Top line definitely didn't look great last night, could be due to the Canucks keying in on them. If Monahan is legit hurt, could be trouble for the Flames the rest of the way.

[Erick Estrada]

I was under the impression the shoulder injury has been a lingering issue and that he's been under the weather this week which has been the bigger issue.

[GioforPM]

I read all the rumours, but I didn't see him favoring anything, nor did I see him avoiding contact like some people say. I think he was effectively checked (and he erturned the favour against the Sedins when they were against each other). I saw him shoot the puck OK in the third.

I just think it was a quiet game. Maybe he's ill and had less energy, but really, I have a feeling he's not going to miss or be a liability.

[Coach]

I'm hoping just illness, because then he will get better.

I noticed him labouring with his skating when he had a clear straight line to move. Not limping, but slow.

[Finger Cookin]

[Rumour] Sean Monahan playing hurt?

[flambers]

I would bet, he has some sort of shoulder injury....

Few items that are concerning and could point to the player not being 100%

Face-offs, at one point he was zero for 8.
Was not physical at all...

Hoping this is a short term thing....

[PugnaciousIntern]

Something's not right based on his lack of participation in practices the last few nights. Sounds a lot more like illness to me. Don't know if it's just the sniffles or if it actually affected the game. He wasn't incredibly effective last night, but he's the #1 center so teams will try to shut him down. Might be like that for the rest of playoffs too.

[Vinny01]

Stole played 20 minutes last night. I think he will be okay the whole top line had a bit of a rough go until the third.

[gargamel]

I'm not overly concerned yet , but if his injury is preventing him from winning faceoffs, I'd probably temporarily switch him with one of the 3 centers on our second line.

[Fire]

Hasn't it been confirmed that he's wearing bigger shoulder pads. Must be a shoulder injury.

[skudr248]

Hopefully nothing serious. The top line just got shut down last night, hopefully just an illness that goes away quick cause we need him for 15 more wins!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Fire

Hasn't it been confirmed that he's wearing bigger shoulder pads. Must be a shoulder injury.

No, it was suggested that they looked bigger and that meant something. Double speculation.

Hartley isn't afraid to cut ice time, and MOnahan's seen as little as just under 15 minutes before. Yet he played over 20, which is his upper range in regulation time (he played almost the same against LAK). I doubt Hartley would use him that much if it was a real issue.

[IntenseFan]

There is definitely something amiss. He simply wasn't himself last night. Not just on faceoffs, but timing and synch were off. He had his linemates wide open a couple of times last night and gave the puck away. He was also not as effective as he usually is defensively.

That said, his last three shifts in the third were better and his linemates noticed and keyed off of it.

He appears to be the lynch-pin in that no. 1 line, even more than I think I realized, so hopefully it is a temporary thing. We need him big time.

[yads]

Yeah that's what I thought. They showed him and his shoulder pads didn't look any bigger than normal to me. Really seemed like announcers grasping at straws.

[Travis Munroe]

Lets just knock the nucks in 4 and give him even more time to rest. We won't go far without a healthy 1st line and as a positive, there was concern about other lines stepping up late in the season. Last night showed us that 2,3,4 can all be extremely effective against the canucks.

[cracher]

Going off memory which, during playoffs, may not be at its best. In the LA post-game interview, Hartley referenced paying a "high price" in winning the clinching game. He did not specify what that price way.

Hmmm. If I had to guess, it's either him or Hudler. Neither looked quite right.

[JohnnyTitan]

At one point I noticed Mony and Backlund were killing a penalty. The Gaudreau one I think. At that point I concluded that there's nothing physically wrong with him and his skating must be fine or otherwise Hartley wouldn't be putting him in that situation.

Hoping it's illness because he did seem to lack some energy. It's overshadowed by Bennett and Ferland, but it was also Sean's first playoff game and he was for sure being keyed on.

[Samuelsson]

I know it's not really a silver lining, and it's extreme worst-case scenario, but I just like that we have a bit more depth in that area now that Bennett's seemed to have burst onto the scene.

Backlund up, Shore in, Granlund's able to step up, as is Bennett and Colborne off the wing, not to mention Stajan. I mean, it's still a massive weakness but, it's better than it could be.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by cracher

Going off memory which, during playoffs, may not be at its best. In the LA post-game interview, Hartley referenced paying a "high price" in winning the clinching game. He did not specify what that price way.

Hmmm. If I had to guess, it's either him or Hudler. Neither looked quite right.

Regehr Karma biting the Flames in the ass.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

I don't doubt the guy is playing through some injuries, he's a trooper. But as far as not looking like himself last night, let's not forget he's 20 years old, and he was playing his first NHL playoff game last night. I know Bennett step up and played fantastic in his first playoff game, but we shouldn't think that has to be the norm.

Not to mention, the kid isn't just playing his first playoff game, he's the #1 center, on the "it" line that everyone is talking about around the league. He's seeing the best match ups at playoff intensity for the first time. Him, Johnny and Hudler looked like they were getting better as the night went on. Like I said, I don't doubt he's hurt, but might have been taking some time to get adjusted and feel comfortable with the stage, and that's totally ok!