Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau Appreciation thread

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

It's very simple. Monahan has never won anything in the playoffs. And here it is already late February, and he still hasn't won in the playoffs this season, so obviously he's a bad player.

So what if he does win in the playoffs this year? Well, we already know that won't happen because he's a bad player who never wins in the playoffs.

That really is the level of logic we're dealing with from some posters.

It's so wonky to me, especially when you take into consideration the best line mate he and Johnny have had this season was a 3.5 game stint with Bennett and some short time with Mangiapane. Outside of those two, they've been playing with forwards like Simon and Leivo. Both he and Johnny are performing better this season while playing with a lesser winger every night than they did last season.

[CSharp]

Monahan seems tougher this season and you see him in the corners more. Let's see how this duo plays out near the last 10 games of the regular season and hopefully into the playoffs. Both Monahan and Gaudreau seem to taper way off heading into post-season and become totally invisible and ineffective the last 10 games and into the playoffs due to higher forechecking. Monahan also seem to get injured in the tail end of the season and into the first round of the playoffs. Hence, Gaudreau becomes totally ineffective.

[tvp2003]

Monahan seems like he’s trying to be more dynamic, rather than just finding space around the net and firing in wristers. You can see it in the defensive zone, and making more of an effort on zone entries. Not always successful, but I think the intent is good.

Meanwhile, I think Johnny must have graduated to a 65 flex because his shot is looking more dangerous and he’s not afraid to use it.

[Ragnar]

Since this thread was last active:

Gaudreau: 4 goals, 11 points in 25 games
Monahan: 5 goals, 11 points in 25 games

Both have been ghosts during this pathetic "playoff push"

I really do not see how this team will be competitive in the future with these two leading the offensive charge.

Time to move on?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

It's so wonky to me, especially when you take into consideration the best line mate he and Johnny have had this season was a 3.5 game stint with Bennett and some short time with Mangiapane. Outside of those two, they've been playing with forwards like Simon and Leivo. Both he and Johnny are performing better this season while playing with a lesser winger every night than they did last season.

[drewtastic]

I don't see how this team wins a Johnny Gaudreau trade.

I am hopeful that the lines we saw in the third period (ie: Johnny with Lindholm) continues for a while, at least to see how he fares with a different centre and RW (like Mangiapane or Dube).

I'm still in the "Sign Gaudreau long-term" camp. I think he is a rare talent and can be a contributing piece of whatever "core" moves forward...

[djsFlames]

Good players don't need special linemates catered to their game to produce with consistency.

If they do, then they're probably actually complimentary players that require play driving talent that they can benefit from because of their instincts.

Johnny drove play at one time, but has regressed to another guy that rides shotgun.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

Since this thread was last active:

Gaudreau: 4 goals, 11 points in 25 games
Monahan: 5 goals, 11 points in 25 games

Both have been ghosts during this pathetic "playoff push"

I really do not see how this team will be competitive in the future with these two leading the offensive charge.

Time to move on?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by drewtastic

I don't see how this team wins a Johnny Gaudreau trade.

I am hopeful that the lines we saw in the third period (ie: Johnny with Lindholm) continues for a while, at least to see how he fares with a different centre and RW (like Mangiapane or Dube).

I'm still in the "Sign Gaudreau long-term" camp. I think he is a rare talent and can be a contributing piece of whatever "core" moves forward...

I agree we probably "lose" the Johnny trade, but you never know.

There are teams that might get desperate, or have a fan base that has lost patience. Buffalo needs something to happen, maybe they overpay to get immediate help? Dallas comes to mind as a team that is performing well below expectations. Columbus too. Maybe Chicago also.

Those types of clubs might be willing to pay handsomely to have a flashy talent bring some interest and intrigue to their team.

[Monahammer]

I feel great shame for having created this thread. Was it a jinx? Honestly, I was just hoping a positive thread would help motivate these guys as we are often hard on them. However, I have no more sympathy after watching this dog #### season.

What happened on the weeklong break at seasons start that derailed everything? They did start hot... 7 points in 5 games each. WTF.

[SuperMatt18]

Think a big part of it has been the revolving door at RW.

Gaudreau and Monahan have played majority of the year together but they've been stapled to a 4th liner at RW for most of it.

They've played over 20 minutes with 8 different wingers:

Ritchie - 131 Minutes - 47.3% Corsi For - 0 GF - 5 GA
Bennett - 100 Minutes - 46.3% Corsi For - 4 GF - 1 GA
Simon - 58 Minutes - 47.8% Corsi For - 3 GF - 2 GA
Leivo - 57 Minutes - 47.0% Corsi For - 3 GF - 3 GA

Lindholm - 42 Minues - 51% Corsi For - 2 GF - 1 GA
Mangiapane - 29 Minutes - 56% Corsi For - 0 GF - 0 GA
Dube - 21 Minutes - 51.1% Corsi For - 1 GF - 0 GA
Tkachuk - 21 Minutes - 65.9% Corsi For - 2 GF - 0 GA

So maybe the answer is as simple as not playing your guys that are supposed to be offensive players with 4th line talents for 65% of the season. The underlying numbers and production with any of Lindholm, Mangiapane, Dube, Tkachuk have been fine, which isn't surprising because those guys are actual top 9 players, unfortunately they've played very little time with those guys and have played most of the season with one of Ritchie, Bennett, Simon, or Leivo on their wing.

Monahan and Gaudreau aren't good enough to be able to drag around waiver fodder like Ritchie and still produce offense, so it's not surprising the offesnive production dried up once Ritchie was promoted to full time RW on that line, and they haven't scored a 5v5 goal on the ice with him all season. It's ridiculous that they are still together as a line.

Just ridiculous management by the Flames. Likelihood is they are going to be trading one if not both of these forwards in the offseason, and they've just cratered their value by playing them with 4th liners and by trying to force them into a more defensive role they just aren't suited for.

[mrdonkey]

At this point, there’s no winning a Johnny or Monahan trade. That ship sailed while the wizard was busy throwing picks out the window for defensive depth.

[dammage79]

Still boils back to Treliving dumpster diving for RWs in the off season. The management team were bound and determined to get Lindholm at center and just left it at that.

I get the idea of signing Simon as he looked to be able to produce on a top line but that blew up in their face. I really think they thought he was the one to fill the hole at 1 rw.

It's the failure by Treliving IMO to properly address a hole in their fw group THEY created by moving Limdholm to center.

And it cratered three fold.
1. Left a massive hole on Monahan and Gaudreaus wing.
2. Forced the separation of Tkachuk and Backlund (probably their biggest blunder, they cratered their safety valve in breaking up that line)
3. Broke up what was a successful science experiment in Lucic-Bennett-Dube

The coaches and GM tinkered their way into oblivion.

Heck after writing this post I kind of want Tree fired more now. Definitely has come off a the smartest guys in the room but the room is full of jellyfish.

[dissentowner]

I feel bad for Johnny. He has been saddled with two guys who can't score at all this year. He sets up Monahan 4 or 5 times a game for golden opportunities only to see Monahan flub them. Monahan either needs a change of scenery or his wrists are so shot he is done.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Heck after writing this post I kind of want Tree fired more now. Definitely has come off a the smartest guys in the room but the room is full of jellyfish.
3.

This has always bothered me about Tre. He has acted like this since Day 1, and my only thought was "What the hell do you have to be proud of? The ####ing Coyotes?! They were and still are an absolute train wreck."

Then he hired Maloney too and said something to the effect of "We did a lot of good work in Arizona together" and I also thought then that it was a weird thing to say as Arizona continued to be a basement dweller.

This guy has never sniffed success. It is maybe no wonder that we are in the same position the Coyotes were in when he left that smoking crater.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

This has always bothered me about Tre. He has acted like this since Day 1, and my only thought was "What the hell do you have to be proud of? The ####ing Coyotes?! They were and still are an absolute train wreck."

Then he hired Maloney too and said something to the effect of "We did a lot of good work in Arizona together" and I also thought then that it was a weird thing to say as Arizona continued to be a basement dweller.

This guy has never sniffed success. It is maybe no wonder that we are in the same position the Coyotes were in when he left that smoking crater.

I never liked the Maloney hiring. I think tree was just doing his friend a favor.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I never liked the Maloney hiring. I think tree was just doing his friend a favor.

Or hiring his successor...

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Or hiring his successor...

I sincerely hope not. I domt much like Don Maloney as a GM.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Still boils back to Treliving dumpster diving for RWs in the off season. The management team were bound and determined to get Lindholm at center and just left it at that.

I get the idea of signing Simon as he looked to be able to produce on a top line but that blew up in their face. I really think they thought he was the one to fill the hole at 1 rw.

It's the failure by Treliving IMO to properly address a hole in their fw group THEY created by moving Limdholm to center.

And it cratered three fold.
1. Left a massive hole on Monahan and Gaudreaus wing.
2. Forced the separation of Tkachuk and Backlund (probably their biggest blunder, they cratered their safety valve in breaking up that line)
3. Broke up what was a successful science experiment in Lucic-Bennett-Dube

The coaches and GM tinkered their way into oblivion.

Heck after writing this post I kind of want Tree fired more now. Definitely has come off a the smartest guys in the room but the room is full of jellyfish.

This is correct. It’s boggled my mind why they didn’t go with this all year:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-Mangiapane
Lucic-Bennett-Dube
Whoever-Ryan-whoever

Nicely balanced and all three of those lines have worked well in the past.

Whatever. I guess they know best.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by heep223

This is correct. It’s boggled my mind why they didn’t go with this all year:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-Mangiapane
Lucic-Bennett-Dube
Whoever-Ryan-whoever

Nicely balanced and all three of those lines have worked well in the past.

Whatever. I guess they know best.

I’m fine with them putting Lindholm at center but if that is the case play Dube and Mangiapane in the top 6 with the regular 4 and mix them around until you find something that works.

Roll a bottom 6 of:

Lucic-Backlund-Bennett
Whoever-Ryan-Whoever

Putting replacement level players on the top two lines is just utter stupidity. Ok try it out for a stretch, if it doesn’t work mix it up and by mixing it up I don’t mean replacing one tweeter for another.

Makes no sense at all.

I really don’t understand it because the number one thing a coach/GM should do is recognize the best situations to put their players in to succeed as individuals and as a team.