Surprising Stat: Monahan is 2 points ahead of his pace from last year

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by codynw

Monahan doesn't really make his linemates better the way some players do, I guess is how I'd put it. He's not the one driving his line or creating things on his own.

I'd argue the opposite. Every elite playmaker needs an elite finisher. Monahan makes Gaudreau better because he's able to read what Johnny's going to do and be in a position to continue the play.

Imagine Gaudreau playing with Stajan full-time instead of Monahan. Imagine the giveaways because Stajan isn't in the spot where would be if he was able to read the play as well as Gaudreau does. Further to that, imagine what happens when Gaudreau is forced to play a simpler game in order to connect with Stajan. Not only will Johnny's plays suddenly become a lot easier to defend against (because he has to simplify things), but a much larger percentage of plays while die on Stajan's stick than on Monahan's.

You don't need to be a creative player to make your linemates better. Just being able to play with creative players works as well.

[SofaProfessor]

Originally Posted by nik-

boring consistent 60 point scorer ... ho hum

Treliving, trade this bum away for Drouin please.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by nik-

Yup, once Bennett matures and starts playing centre full time, is there a better balance of 1A/B centres to have than those two?

Crosby/Malkin?
Bergeron/Krejci?

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Shouldn't Monahan get 60 points more than once before we start proclaiming he's a consistent 60 point scorer?

That's not how CP works..

He broke 60 points once so now he is a consistent 60 point guy and untouchable! If he goes below 60 points he will be past his prime and a post-apex player and needs to be traded immediately!

That's the CP I know!

[nik-]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Crosby/Malkin?
Bergeron/Krejci?

Sorry, I didn't mean it as a comparison to centre tandems in the league, I just meant in terms of the balance created by radically different playing styles

[nik-]

Originally Posted by belsarius

That's not how CP works..

He broke 60 points once so now he is a consistent 60 point guy and untouchable! If he goes below 60 points he will be past his prime and a post-apex player and needs to be traded immediately!

That's the CP I know!

daaaaamn, got us.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by nik-

Sorry, I didn't mean it as a comparison to centre tandems in the league, I just meant in terms of the balance created by radically different playing styles

Ohhh. Yeah, I got you now. That makes sense.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

I'm not surprised at all by this. I think sometimes we see how flashy Gaudreau and Bennett are and expect Monahan to be the same, but that's just not who he is. I don't think he's been as bad as a lot of people thought he was, he's just quietly good.

IMO he's equally as important to this team as Gaudreau. He takes all the big face offs, kills penalties, wears an A so he's obviously one of the leaders in the room, and puts up 55-60pts/season. As much as I love Johnny, Monahan is my favourite Flame.

He reminds me of Trevor Linden. He was never as flashy as Bure but he was always there getting the job done.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Ferland is pretty terrible on the top line, he looks two steps behind Monahan and Gaudreau in both zones. Defensively he was confused when the Devils opened the scoring. Was happy he was taken off that line for the 2nd and 3rd periods so kind of baffling to see him slated to go back there but Hartley doesn't have a tonne of choices at the moment I suppose.

Yeah I hope the Ferland experiment is coming to an end as he's not skilled enough to play on the top line. I know lots of fans love him but in my eyes he's a bottom 6 talent at best.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by belsarius

He reminds me of Trevor Linden. He was never as flashy as Bure but he was always there getting the job done.

That's actually a very good comparison that I've never thought of.

[Stay Golden]

As good as he has been I still think Monahan should have even more points. Especially goals he has been double clutching in the slot quite a bit. He needs to trust his himself more.
His chemistry with Johnny is fantastic.

[djsFlames]

I still think he's been worse.

He's very quietly producing, but he's not helping the team win. A lot of the odd goal or assist in a loss. Last year his 3rd period and OT production was helping the team win. He had a lot of big goals that would tie the games or put them ahead. This year more stat padding without the results on the scoreboard. Hasn't been as "Monaclutch" as he was referred to last season for good reason. That's the difference.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

As good as he has been I still think Monahan should have even more points. Especially goals he has been double clutching in the slot quite a bit. He needs to trust his himself more.
His chemistry with Johnny is fantastic.

I think his confidence took a hit at the beginning of the year, and he's just finally shaking it off. He's got such a great shot from in close, he needs to use it more.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yeah I hope the Ferland experiment is coming to an end as he's not skilled enough to play on the top line. I know lots of fans love him but in my eyes he's a bottom 6 talent at best.

Really? I didn't catch much of the Devils game, but in the other ones it seemed like Ferland was fitting in just fine. Better than anyone else so far this season.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Ferland is pretty terrible on the top line, he looks two steps behind Monahan and Gaudreau in both zones.

He looks great on the top line to me, Johnny and Monny have been playing really well when he's on the line. Two steps behind? I watch him super close and I haven't seen that at all. Ferland keeps up quite well considering how fast and sneaky Johnny is. Ferland has a lot of little nice touch passes to find Johnny and helps open up room for Johnny. I thought Frolik looked way more lost on that line than Ferland. Moving Frolik to the #1 line disrupted two lines that had been working.

Glad to see the two good lines back together, that lineup shuffle was baffling last game, completely baffling.

[djsFlames]

Ferland is fine on the first line. But I think if Hudler starts playing better you move him back there.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by codynw

Really? I didn't catch much of the Devils game, but in the other ones it seemed like Ferland was fitting in just fine. Better than anyone else so far this season.

Yes and no, IMO. Ferly flies out there, knocking bodies and skating hard. Exactly what you want in a player. Love the guy.

I just don't think he's got the talent to play on the first line in the NHL. Doesn't have that killer instinct or hockey IQ like Hudler does, or even Frolik.

That's why we all need to pray to the little baby Jesus that Hudler smartens the eff up quickly, and plays like he can.

If all else fails, throw Bennett on the top line wing. He's playing wing now anyway.

[Regorium]

CP also believes that players that enter the NHL at 18/19 peak at 22 (see discussion re: RNH). Monahan has this year and next year to show what his peak is because after that it's all downhill.

To be fair, I think Monahan has looked a LOT better in the last 5 games or so. I see him at least trying to make some plays and mucking it up a little more. Hopefully he was just shaking off a nagging injury from last year or something.

My issue is really that I see Gaudreau go harder into the corners, and win more puck battles than Monahan does.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Regorium

CP also believes that players that enter the NHL at 18/19 peak at 22 (see discussion re: RNH). Monahan has this year and next year to show what his peak is because after that it's all downhill.

Typically guys who break into the NHL as teenagers do have their best offensive seasons at 21-23. It's not a crazy statement, because it's absolutely true. But nobody says it's all downhill after that, I don't know where you possibly got that idea. Players don't hit their peak and fall off a cliff after one year. Plus their defensive game usually gets better as they get older, so they're better overall players in that 24-30 range, but they might never break their highest point total. Of course there are always exceptions and some players peak later.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

He looks great on the top line to me, Johnny and Monny have been playing really well when he's on the line. Two steps behind? I watch him super close and I haven't seen that at all. Ferland keeps up quite well considering how fast and sneaky Johnny is. Ferland has a lot of little nice touch passes to find Johnny and helps open up room for Johnny. I thought Frolik looked way more lost on that line than Ferland. Moving Frolik to the #1 line disrupted two lines that had been working.

Glad to see the two good lines back together, that lineup shuffle was baffling last game, completely baffling.

Yeah, like I said moving Frolik up exposes lack of depth even further.

And not sure about watching either Frolik or Ferland "super close", I was watching normally close but Ferland looked lost in that first period and doesn't have the talent to roll shotgun on that line. Frolik might have looked poor or lost on that line in a short time frame but Frolik is a consistent 20 goal 40 point veteren, Frolik won't look lost on any line for a significant stretch. Too smart a player.