Do you think the Flames will contend for the Cup with this core?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Love

Imagine the #'s Iginla would put up with even Hudler, let alone Gaudreau, Hamilton, Gio etc.

Jiri Hudler had all of three 50 point seasons when he signed with Calgary as a 29 year old. If anything, Monahan and Gaudreau carried him. Iginla played his whole career with guys around the level of Jiri Hudler (who he actually also did play with).

Imagine the numbers Iginla would've put up with Monahan.

Iginla got to play his first three years with late 20s Theo Fleury. Who was better than Gaudreau at that point in his career than Johnny was when he started playing with Monahan.

Monahan also has a 20 goal season while Gaudreau is in college.

Monahan is an Iginla level player.

[icecube]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Three of those years, Iginla got to play with late 20s Theo Fleury. Who was better than Gaudreau at that point in his career than Johnny was when he started playing with Monahan.

Monahan also has a 20 goal season while Gaudreau is in college.

Monahan is an Iginla level player.

[jayswin]

Love went too far in taking Monahan down but he's also not an Iginla level player, either. Iginla was arguably the best player in the game for a few seasons, and in the upper echelon of forwards to ever play the game.

Monahan is a great goal scorer, decent play driver (if Gaudreau isn't driving it himself) and serviceable on defense. He's an incredible player to have, and I try not to fall into the "you can't win a cup with Monahan as your first line centre" trap, however I do believe you need another excellent, scoring centre on your second line if you don't have that elite centre on your first.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by icecube

He's got more 60 point seasons at the same age, and he plays a more difficult position.

Broke Iggy's OT winner mark *3v3 helps, I know*

Was on pace to be a 40+40 guy, but you know, four surgeries. Which, it's worth mentioning, caused him to miss an average of 2 games per operation.

Above 50% faceoffs with one wrist.

Is as smart as any centre in the game.

Heavier shot than people think.

Going into his 24 year old season.

More GP, Goals and points than Iggy at the same points in their careers.

Yeah, Monahan's an Iggy level player. I didn't have it framed in my head this way until just now, but add their numbers up yourself. Monahan's that good.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Love went too far in taking Monahan down but he's also not an Iginla level player, either. Iginla was arguably the best player in the game for a few seasons, and in the upper echelon of forwards to ever play the game.

Monahan is a great goal scorer, decent play driver (if Gaudreau isn't driving it himself) and serviceable on defense. He's an incredible player to have, and I try not to fall into the "you can't win a cup with Monahan as your first line centre" trap, however I do believe you need another excellent, scoring centre on your second line if you don't have that elite centre on your first.

He wasn't the best player in the game at 23. He was a good player. Iginla didn't break out until he was 24.

Monahan is going to be 24 in two months. This is not a hot take.

[Jeff Lebowski]

If they get that belief the confidence will propel them. There are a lot of potential lineups people start writing and they look pretty much the same. However, I see that the increased forward depth having the potential to unlock a lot of offence. There are just so many new possibilities people haven't thought of because they're locked into one way of looking at it.

It's similar to the notion that you have to have a Crosby or Doughty etc. No you don't.

Treliving said they were going to play an uptempo, constant pressure game - This is how the game is meant to be played IMO. Skate, make plays and let their hockey IQ take over. I see great things for this group and a lot of goals, entertainment, flow and ultimately success. Find that rhythm to game, free up the style and allow the players to maximize their abilities and they will play with confidence. I can see it for sure.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Saying he’s a tap in artist is a pretty horrible description
The guy scores a lot with an elite release, ability to find open high scoring spaces and ability to pick the corners
He may not be perfect but I don’t see why folks need to exaggerate to make their point
Tap in artist? That’s laughable

Monahan makes it look easy, but it's not.

If it was easy, everyone would do it.

[icecube]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

He wasn't the best player in the game at 23. He was a good player. Iginla didn't break out until he was 24.

Monahan is going to be 24 in two months. This is not a hot take.

I suppose Mark Scheifele is Mario Lemieux?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by icecube

I suppose Mark Scheifele is Mario Lemieux?

I thought Mark Scheifele was one of the best young centermen in the game. Has that changed? Scheifele has 6 more points and he's a year older.

Scheifele through his age 23 season:

306 GP 90G 137A 227 PTS

Are there people making the argument that Winnipeg lacks a #1C?

Sean Monahan is one of the best young centremen in the game and he has outproduced Jarome frickin Iginla to the same points in their careers.

Let's not act like Sean Monahan has been giftwrapped some ideal situation either. His coaches have been Bob Hartley and Glen Gulutzan, and I defy anyone to make a legitimate argument that those two are any better than Pierre Page and Brian Sutter.

[djsFlames]

Tkachuk is trending towards being elite very soon and has unique intangibles that are valuable. I think the distinct possibility of that is overlooked. (For those saying the Flames need another forward that's top line good)

Just cause Gaudreau will remain ahead of him on the depth chart doesn't mean he won't still reach that level on his own.

[Love]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Monahan is an Iginla level player.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Tkachuk is trending towards being elite very soon and has unique intangibles that are valuable. I think the distinct possibility of that is overlooked. (For those saying the Flames need another forward that's top line good)

I think we are a year away from genuinely not knowing who the best LW on this team is.

[Love]

Gaudreau must be Gretzky level then

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Love

Gaudreau must be Gretzky level then

Is there lead in your drinking water?

Monahan has outproduced Jarome Iginla to the exact same point in their careers. That is a fact.

Monahan only has 22 fewer points than Nathan MacKinnon.

Monahan has two more 60 point seasons than Aleksander Barkov, and he's up 30 points on Barkov for his career.

As posted above, he's right there with Scheifele, who nobody thinks isn't a true #1.

There is no fact-based way to argue Sean Monahan is not an elite 1st line centre. There just isn't. There's a very good reason he makes more than everyone in his draft class except MacKinnon. It's because he's a 1st line centreman who's baseline is 30+30.

[dissentowner]

Monahan is criminally underrated.

[GreenLantern2814]

Between 2000-2013, here's everyone who scored 30+ for the Flames not named Iggy.

Daymond Langkow 2x (30 and 31 years old)
Kristian Huselius
Mike Cammalleri

That's it.

Hudler had 31 in 14/15. Johnny did it once. Monahan has two in his first five years, which is one more than Iggy had at that time. As a centre.

Monahan is Iginla good. Why is this difficult for some people? I didn't say Czarnik deserves Gaudreau's PP time. One of the faces of the franchise, and a guy many have tabbed as the next captain, has been more productive than the best player the franchise has ever had at the same point in their careers.

That is a good thing. I look forward to the Gifs demonstrating why it isn't.

[Flamefan1]

I believe the Flames have the best player mix and talent since the late 1980s. And the wonderful part of this years Flames is the core of the team is very young and has lots of room to grow. Our forward group with youngsters Gaudreau, Monahan, Lindholm, Tkachuk, Jankowski, Bennett and supplemented with skilled experienced forwards Backlund, Neal, Ryan and Frolik is a very exciting group of 10.

Our defensemen group I find just as exciting. I have followed Hanifin since prior to his draft year and look forward to watching his great skating and development as well as Gio and Brodie being reunited. I personally think Stone is a good bottom 4,5,6 defenseman (although he does not get much credit) with maybe the best slapshot on the team. Hamonic will continue to evolve as a quiet leader on the team. Kulak is A very reliable #6 and are group of young guys pushing for a spot is impressive.

I believe under new coaching we will see major improvements in the play of Bennett, Brodie, Stone and our young goalies Rittich and Gillies. We will make the playoffs and have a very reasonable chance of advancing at least two rounds. If our new guys develope good chemistry with our previous core and we have a little good luck in the playoffs we are capable of going all the way.

[Love]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Monahan is criminally underrated.

Becoming criminally overrated on this board. Comparison to Iginla sent me to another dimension.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Love

Monahan is not the answer. We all love the guy.

Yeah, no you don't.

[AC]

I see Monahan is back to being "just a garbageman".