Should we bench Monahan for a game or 2?

[Yorkshire Flame]

Any chance he's "playing through" an injury? Pre-season back injury or otherwise.

[Bingo]

I think benching a kid that cares too much is the worst thing you can do to him. Sit him down, explain he has simplify things. Get him to work on defense and positioning first, the transition. Then the offence will come when he doesn't feel he's hurting the team.

All we've ever heard about this kid is character, he's taking this a lot harder than guys on a message board.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Wouldn't mind sitting him for a game, he looked really good last week for a game but was ugly again the past couple. Sitting out could let him reset, let him get outside his head for a game. Watching him he isn't doing much instinctively, a player that's too worried about messing up and continuing his funk.

Seeing Ferland last night was the complete opposite, a player that finally has some confidence and his playing quick instinctive hockey.

Personally I have a lot of faith in Monahan but anything to maybe kickstart that rebound is welcome.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Har-Calgary

I've always been pretty skeptical about Mony, always seems to me ppl really have to reach to defend him. The last two years my general belief is that Mony is pretty overrated by flames fans and is a fairly replaceable player, then he always goes off in the second half and makes me feel stupid for thinking that. The thing is, when he is struggling, he looks downright awful. Johnny was struggling but he still showed flashes of brilliance, Mony has basically shown nothing, IMO he's looked slightly better since Johnny's injury, a bit more poised and wanting to create, but he's still been pretty bad.

Even if he does pour it on in the second half again, which I'm starting to worry won't even happen. But even if he does, that's not good enough! He needs to be consistent, I for one would be fine if he heats up before the trade deadline and we ship him, but his price tag and term won't even make that easy.

LOL, people have to reach hard to defend a 22 year old player who has already put up 167 points in 259 games, who is also playing the hardest position in hockey IMO.

I get points aren't everything, but what were your expectations of him when we drafted him? Do people forget that no one thought he was a slam dunk to stick in his first year, let alone accomplish what he's accomplished to date.

People need to give their head a shake in regards to just how young and how much more growing this kid has to do.

[smiggy77]

I'm with Bingo. He's not hurting the team and I highly doubt he's sitting there pleased with his play. He's a competitor and I'm sure he's trying to do whatever he can to get things going, while not being a defensive liability.

It's bad enough for us who watch it but I'm sure with him signing a big contract and trying to live up to that expectation as a #1 C and just not firing on all cylinders is pretty tough on the kid.

[mdubz]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

I'm with Bingo. He's not hurting the team and I highly doubt he's sitting there pleased with his play. He's a competitor and I'm sure he's trying to do whatever he can to get things going, while not being a defensive liability.

It's bad enough for us who watch it but I'm sure with him signing a big contract and trying to live up to that expectation as a #1 C and just not firing on all cylinders is pretty tough on the kid.

He's hurting the team by dragging down any line that he's put on. His terrible turnover pass to the middle also led to the big collision between Brouwer and Versteeg last night.

[calgaryblood]

Yeah I wouldn't mind seeing him sit a game just to get a better view of the game. It always seems to work for players who get scratched. And I disagree with the notion he's not hurting the team. Someone playing that many minutes and playing that bad on the defensive side is definitely hurting the team.

[spuzzum]

We need more Boring Sean Monahan tweets. There has only been one in the past 5 weeks.

[smiggy77]

Originally Posted by mdubz

He's hurting the team by dragging down any line that he's put on. His terrible turnover pass to the middle also led to the big collision between Brouwer and Versteeg last night.

He might not be providing offensive support but that's typical for all players who are in a slump.

To insinuate that he should be benched because two players ran into each other is just ridiculous. It happens in hockey. Now if he's turning it over or losing his man in the defensive zone, I can agree that it warrants a benching (which happened during the game in Buffalo), but you can't put that collision on Monahan. Terrible pass yes, but two guys running into each other, no way.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think benching a kid that cares too much is the worst thing you can do to him. Sit him down, explain he has simplify things. Get him to work on defense and positioning first, the transition. Then the offence will come when he doesn't feel he's hurting the team.

All we've ever heard about this kid is character, he's taking this a lot harder than guys on a message board.

I assume that when they "sit" him for game he doesn't just smash popcorn and beer. I would assume there is discussion with him, about what to watch. I wonder if a coach sits with him and highlights aspects of the game he does well and areas to develop.

Like most things, communication is key. I am sure the coaching staff talks to the player on why they want him to sit for a game, get another view of the play, etc.

I am not sure that I believe that a player that gets to this level is so mentally weak that sitting him for a game will break him.

[DazzlinDino]

Hartley used to say all the right things to build up the young guys like JG and Monahan; Confidence can be a big thing. I am not a fan of punishment based methods to try get someone to "wake up". A little praise and belief can go a long ways when someone struggling with confidence.

[Huntingwhale]

I'm not against seeing him scratched for a game. Not because I think he needs to be punished or because he is going out of his way to hurt the team. But more so he can a view from above and maybe see things from another angle. Scratch him more for a learning experience. Not to reprimand him for his sub-standard play. But that would be the ONLY reason I would do it if I was GG.

Otherwise he needs to play through it. He'll come around eventually. He made the NHL at 18, is in his 4th season, hasn't really had a big slump yet, and now has the pressure of a huge contract on his shoulders. All while being placed in the role of a #1 C. What human isn't going to somewhat falter under those conditions?

Players who have long and productive NHL careers have patches of poor play. Literally every single athlete in the history of sports has spurts like that. Monahan is no different.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I am not sure that I believe that a player that gets to this level is so mentally weak that sitting him for a game will break him.

Fair, but I don't see it as mentally strong vs mentally weak.

People are wired differently. If a guy is getting lazy and you know making him mad will snap him out of it then you piss him off.

If a guy is a deeply caring person that worries about his play minute to minute then you'd better know how he'll react to something like that. It's not mentally weak to put more pressure on yourself when the team sits you out a game, and is that going to help or hurt the guy?

I personally don't know.

If it gives him a breather and a chance to recharge the batteries then do it.

If it makes him grip the stick even tighter you're making it worse.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think benching a kid that cares too much is the worst thing you can do to him. Sit him down, explain he has simplify things. Get him to work on defense and positioning first, the transition. Then the offence will come when he doesn't feel he's hurting the team.

All we've ever heard about this kid is character, he's taking this a lot harder than guys on a message board.

Would it be worthwhile to move him to LW for a bit to have him focus on offense and not be so burdened by defensive responsibilities? Rather like we've done with Bennett.

[Azhouse]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Wait, are you saying you can cherry pick stats to prove any point..............I'd have never guessed!

I thought it was a valid point. It drove the point home when he posted ANNE Kopitar's stats

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Fair, but I don't see it as mentally strong vs mentally weak.

People are wired differently. If a guy is getting lazy and you know making him mad will snap him out of it then you piss him off.

If a guy is a deeply caring person that worries about his play minute to minute then you'd better know how he'll react to something like that. It's not mentally weak to put more pressure on yourself when the team sits you out a game, and is that going to help or hurt the guy?

I personally don't know.

If it gives him a breather and a chance to recharge the batteries then do it.

If it makes him grip the stick even tighter you're making it worse.

"Break" may have been a bit dramatic on my part.

I think at the end of the day we need to assume the coaching/management team is taking the approach that works best for this particular player.

Wasn't it last season that Johnny sat?

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

"Break" may have been a bit dramatic on my part.

I think at the end of the day we need to assume the coaching/management team is taking the approach that works best for this particular player.

Wasn't it last season that Johnny sat?

Johnny was a healthy scratch in the previous two seasons. One for his play in the first season and last year for being late to practice.

[troutman]

If he is injured, why not sit him until he can be more useful than not?

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

He might not be providing offensive support but that's typical for all players who are in a slump.

To insinuate that he should be benched because two players ran into each other is just ridiculous. It happens in hockey. Now if he's turning it over or losing his man in the defensive zone, I can agree that it warrants a benching (which happened during the game in Buffalo), but you can't put that collision on Monahan. Terrible pass yes, but two guys running into each other, no way.

They probably laughed about it and had a beer afterwards. Fans can be a little serious but is a fast past game stuff happens. Look at all those oilers that scored on themselves last season did they get benched?

[smiggy77]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

They probably laughed about it and had a beer afterwards. Fans can be a little serious but is a fast past game stuff happens. Look at all those oilers that scored on themselves last season did they get benched?

lol exactly. I've done that when I was in minor hockey and me and the other bonehead laughed it off, did not even think about blaming the passer on that one.