Time To Break Up Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm...?

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Dx54

This is what I would do-

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Neal
Tkachuk-Monahan-Bennett
Jank-Backlund-Frolik
Hathaway-Ryan-Mangiapane/Czarnik

I really feel like moving Lindholm to center would do us wonders. Then you can have 2 legit scoring lines and have Backlund and Fro dedicated to the checking line.

I think the difficult thing is that you have two guys who have historically shown little to no chemistry with Mony. Tkachuk and Bennett both just seem to either want to be in the same areas of the ice as mony, or just change up what they're doing when they are with him.

Both of them have good chemistry with Johnny and who knows how they actually play with lindholm.

But what is clear is that what they are currently doing isnt working so why not try to shake things up, not an awful development if we have a top 9 that can be interchanged to various combos especially as playoffs get going.

Just about everyone can play with

[mrdonkey]

With the start that line had, it was only a matter of time before they crashed and burned.

We’re not allowed to have nice things.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Gaudreau - Backlund - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Monahan - Czarnik
Bennett - Ryan - Frolik
Mangiapane - Jankowski - Hathaway

[Iceman57]

I'd like to see the following four lines rolled regardless of the game situation.

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Bennett
Tkachuk - Monahan - Czarnik
Mangiapane - Backlund - Ryan
Frolik - Jankowski - Hathaway

[CN10]

I would try out these on this road trip:
1. Gaudreau - Backlund - Lindholm
Opposition will likely go best on best against this line.
2. Tkachuk - Monohan - Czarnik
The two lost boys are fed O-zone starts with someone who's going to hopefully allow them to break out too
3. Bennett - Jankowski - Frolik
Use in a bit of a checking role
4. Mangiapane - Ryan - Hathaway
Don't fix what ain't broken

[Reign of Fire]

Are we really stressing 2 losses after 7 game winning streak? One was Smith's fault. You can't win them all.

[savardandjokinen]

Gaudreau Monahan Bennett
Tkachuk Backlund Lindholm

[Huntsy]

Monahan is still on break..If hes that hurt then sit out. He is brutal makes Johnny look lazy as well. He does not use his body at all and is lazy defensively. Line 3-4 for a while until he wants to show some effort. He did the same things at times last year but it was all forgiven when it was indicated he was hurt. Well dont have time for passengers this year. Need to finish first in Division or it will be a short playoff..

[Futzee]

I thin it's madness to break up this line. Fine to experiment with options during the regular season but this is the line we need firing for an epic playoff run (that and an epic goalie that doesn't play the puck all the time).

[Dion]

Stay the course and give the players a chance to break out of their funk. The line has been one of the best in the NHL and will continue to be.

[Gaskal]

My turn without looking at anyone else's just yet...

Gaudreau Backlund Czarnik
Mangiapane Monahan Lindholm
Bennett Jankowski Tkachuk
Frolik Ryan Hathaway

Gio Andersson
Hanifin Hamonic
Kylington Brodie

[dino7c]

Meanwhile the best record in nearly 30 years

[Harry Lime]

It was mentioned at the beginning of the thread, but I wonder if Monahan is playing injured.

I would hope that the staff would have the foresight to pull him out of the lineup and get him healed for the playoffs, if this was the case. If I hear again that they were letting him play injured (like last year), I would be disappointed.

He has not been the same player since the break.

[djsFlames]

We've seen backlund and gaudreau show promise and we've seen Tkachuk and Lindholm look good as well.

It's not working, why not move things around now. You sure as hell can't be experimenting when playoffs begin. If there are pairing that Peters figures out work well, then that's something he can go to later.

I don't see why it's imperative to keep any three guys together. They've had a month to get back on track. They haven't. It's time.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Meanwhile the best record in nearly 30 years

Imagine what it would be with a goalie.

[PlayfulGenius]

Originally Posted by sempuki

Monahan is obviously injured. I just hope it's not the wrist again.

If true, why wouldn’t they rest him??

He’s no good to the team injured for the playoffs.

It has always seemed strange to me to find out after the season that a player was hurt over a lengthy stretch... makes no sense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by PlayfulGenius

If true, why wouldn’t they rest him??

He’s no good to the team injured for the playoffs.

It has always seemed strange to me to find out after the season that a player was hurt over a lengthy stretch... makes no sense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Often depends on whether or not rest will actually help. If it can't help, and surgery is the only option, then players will play through until taking care of that in the off-season

I'm not sure he's actually hurt though. i think it is just a slump

[Lil Pedro]

God I hope he is injured, because he looks like a shadow of his former self.

[GioforPM]

I'm just not seeing Monahan playing as badly as some of you. If anything I think Lindholm has tailed off of getting the good looks he was, dogging the puck like he was, etc.

Monahan still is getting a at least couple really good chances per game, and his shot has seemed normal to me. And I think he's been as physical as he'd ever been, which doesn't suggest injury to me. Johnny has had more trouble getting him the puck. I still think other teams are just playing Johnny a lot tighter. When watching the game I am finding myself thinking "that was a good defensive play against Gaudreau" a lot more than "Johnny isn't passing well".

[Erick Estrada]

I think Monahan and Tkachuk have tailed off big time. Not going to speculate on injuries because the explanation could simply be a cold spell for Monahan. Tkachuk has kind of showed a tendency to tail off at the end of seasons and I feel he needs to get away from of some of the minor league moves he tries to pull on NHL defenders and fancy passes that go nowhere.