Sean FRICKIN Monahan

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Looks like Backlund going down was the best thing for Monahan's development. Ends up playing more minutes against tougher opposition and just ran with it.

And at this rate, we'll be calling him Captain Clutch once Gio passes the torch over.

I remember reading somewhere that he was a clone of Capt. Serious, starting to appears to be the correct.

[Lil Pedro]

Gotta say, Monahan has been amazing this year. Still can't believe he is only 20 years old. He plays like a 10 year vet. So glad that Carolina took Lindholm instead of him in the draft

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

Gotta say, Monahan has been amazing this year. Still can't believe he is only 20 years old. He plays like a 10 year vet. So glad that Carolina took Lindholm instead of him in the draft

It looks like the Flames may have gotten really lucky having Monahan and Bennett drop to them.

I consider this a result of good karma for never being a team that tanks.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

You know that #1 center we've always been looking for? He's right here.

Truer words have never been spoken. What a player he is turning out to be. I definitely think he can be a #1C and a franchise C. Between him and Bennett taking care of top 6 duties, and Backlund as our #3...centre depth like this has been unheard of for the Flames since Nieuwendyk played for us.

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

It looks like the Flames may have gotten really lucky having Monahan and Bennett drop to them.

I consider this a result of good karma for never being a team that tanks.

I remember being so mad when Carolina ''out-tanked'' us that year. The one year we were supposed to suck bad to get a good draft pick and for some reason the hockey gods would not let it be. While I think Lindholm will be a good player, Monahan right now looks to be the best player from that draft. No sophomore slump, playing against the other team's best players, and an anchor on the 1st line. Almost unheard of for a young centreman at his age. While I think Mackinnon has a higher offensive ceiling, Monahan is already and forever will be the more complete player. For me Monahan has more value to the Flames then Mackinnon would.

The hockey gods work in mysterious ways.

[D as in David]

Got to love his attitude; identifies a weakness and works on it in the off season. What does he target this summer? Not that he is a poor skater, but I think that if he were to develop into a fast skater he could become an elite threat.

[wireframe]

Look at his progression in assists. He went from 12 assists in 75 games (0.16 a/g) to 17 in 54 games (0.31 a/g). About two times as many assists per game!

I think that really shows his development as a player. He scored a lot of goals by being in the right spot last year. Now he is still doing that (a few more goals, actually) but he is also using his teammates better. What a player!

(Edit: Typo)

[stemit14]

Monahan looks more and more like the perfect pick for the flames from that draft. He has a good shot at 25 goals and 25 assists in only his 2nd NHL season. He's a plus player. He's become good in the face-off dot. He's handled defensive responsibilities against the top players of other teams. He kills penalties and he's effective on the powerplay.

If he stayed like this for the next decade without any further improvement it would still be a hell of a great pick at 6th overall. But he keeps getting better and will keep getting better as he continues to develop.

So far... Mackinnon and Monahan look like the two best players from that draft. Mackinnon is more dynamic but Monohan looks like a more complete player. It will take longer for Seth jones to develop since he's a defenceman and he may end up as good as Monohan and mackinnon in a few years. But I don't think the other top picks in that draft will reach their level.

[Street Pharmacist]

Too early to judge Drouin. Plus, after two years and after five years our answers will likely be quite different.

[mile]

I'm going to guess and say that Monahan will end up as a top 3 player from the 2013 draft. Drouin, Lindholm, and Barkov will definitely be great players as well but I think Monahan is the complete package.

[driveway]

His advanced stats have taken a huge jump.

From war-on-ice.com
His 5v5, Score-close stats
2013-14 CF% 41.7 CF%Rel -5.9 ZSO% 55.2
2014-15 CF% 47.3 CF%Rel 2.9 ZSO% 38.6

While still a net-negative in the Corsi department, he's become a positive in Corsi Relative (which means that the Flames make more shot attempts when he's on the ice than off). He's also completely reversed his Zone-starts, last year he was starting 55% of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone when the score was close. This year he's starting 61% of those shifts in the defensive zone.

[FlameZilla]

There's no doubt in my mind who will replace Giordano as Captain in a few years time. You can see by the way he is on the bench that he is a natural leader and a ridiculously smart hockey player.

[Vulcan]

He's having a better year than McKinnon, 34 points +7 to 29 points -4 and he's also playing top line centre with all the defensive responsibilities that entails while MacKinnon is still on RW.

We may unexpectedly have the best player out of that draft although the other players look to be fine also. Seth Jones has good stats for a young defenceman with 17 points +9 and looks promising as well.

[Brewmaster]

It actually looks like 2013 will have been a very solid draft at the top end; all of the top 6 picks are turning into high impact players. What I love about Monahan is his attention to detail, maturity, and knack for scoring big goals. These are qualities that are found in very few young players and make a huge difference in winning games.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by D as in David

Got to love his attitude; identifies a weakness and works on it in the off season. What does he target this summer? Not that he is a poor skater, but I think that if he were to develop into a fast skater he could become an elite threat.

I may be wrong but isn't that exactly what Iginla did in like 1999 or 2000? Took a summer and concentrated on leg strength and skating and suddenly took off from a really good player to one of the elite talents starting his 30+ goal per year streak.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Brewmaster

It actually looks like 2013 will have been a very solid draft at the top end; all of the top 6 picks are turning into high impact players. What I love about Monahan is his attention to detail, maturity, and knack for scoring big goals. These are qualities that are found in very few young players and make a huge difference in winning games.

I will be happy with Monahan, no matter what the other top 6 do; he fits this team like a glove.
That 2013 draft year is already looking like it might match the hype. Some are already fairly established in the NHL and a bunch that should start soon (see E. Poirier)

[Enoch Root]

Couldn't care less who turns out to be the best from that draft.

All I care about is that the Flames got what looks to be a potentially great player. If other teams did too, good for them (Oilers and Canucks notwithstanding)

[You Need a Thneed]

To early to know for certain (obviously), but it very well could be that the Flames drafted the most valuable player out of the draft in each of the last two seasons.

I will say this right now, the Flames got a more valuable player in Monahan than the Oilers got with any one of their first overall picks.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

To early to know for certain (obviously), but it very well could be that the Flames drafted the most valuable player out of the draft in each of the last two seasons.

I will say this right now, the Flames got a more valuable player in Monahan than the Oilers got with any one of their first overall picks.

Don't forget, Backlund in the 07 draft was being projected as a top 10 guy before some injury (lol, what else) saw him fall all the way to 24th. He was the 2nd ranked European. And right now he's playing as well as any forward from that draft not named Patrick Kane or Jamie Benn.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Don't forget, Backlund in the 07 draft was being projected as a top 10 guy before some injury (lol, what else) saw him fall all the way to 24th. He was the 2nd ranked European. And right now he's playing as well as any forward from that draft not named Patrick Kane or Jamie Benn.

It's funny that the Flames have actually done some solid drafting, it just took a bit of years for players like Backlund/Brodie/Bouma to develop.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Don't forget, Backlund in the 07 draft was being projected as a top 10 guy before some injury (lol, what else) saw him fall all the way to 24th. He was the 2nd ranked European. And right now he's playing as well as any forward from that draft not named Patrick Kane or Jamie Benn.

I am a fan of Backlund, but there are plenty of guys other than Kane and Benn that have performed better than Backlund. (Unless your "right now" is a 10 game sample size).