[News] Monahan knows what's on the line this season: 'I have a lot to prove'

[Harry Lime]

Homework for tonights game. Everyone track Monahan when he is on the ice. Catch his number and watch what he does. IMO he has become a plus defender since the All-Star break, and his offensive timing is starting to come back. He is overpaid by about 2M, but at 4M he would have substantial value. The guy has changed his game to compensate for his injury recovery and to fit on a Sutter team. If he starts scoring again, he will be a well rounded player for the first time in his career.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Dan403

Stop trying to move Hanafin.

Hanafil is NOT going anywhere.

Agreed, but of Trade for Brazal for Monny and Hanifin you jump at.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Homework for tonights game. Everyone track Monahan when he is on the ice. Catch his number and watch what he does. IMO he has become a plus defender since the All-Star break, and his offensive timing is starting to come back. He is overpaid by about 2M, but at 4M he would have substantial value. The guy has changed his game to compensate for his injury recovery and to fit on a Sutter team. If he starts scoring again, he will be a well rounded player for the first time in his career.

He breaks up a lot of plays and does pretty good board work in his own end. Usually a pretty effective clearing pass.

OTOH I think Lucic has fallen off the last month in his effectiveness.

[ThisIsAnOutrage]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Agreed, but of Trade for Brazal for Monny and Hanifin you jump at.

Brazal? Reminds me of the last time I hosted an orgy. There were Brazal over the place. Hi Yo!

On topic, that would be quite the deal. Who fills in for Hanifin though? Goal scoring hasn't been an issue, so I would remain concerned about the integrity of the D.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Is Hanifin the most underrated player on Calgary these days?

By a mile.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Hanifin is awesome, but if someone thinks they can get Barzal for him (+Monahan which is negative trade value), they're not underrated him, they're overrating him.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Valimaki has already been the Flames best defenseman (arguably) in a playoff series for us.

He’s certainly capable of more than what you are saying.

You would think people would be more patience with Valimaki after how long it took Kylington to finally make it.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Ashes

Maybe I'm remembering last season incorrectly but wasn't it right at the end with about 10 games to go that Hanafin had a season-ending injury, he was replaced by Stone and the Flames proceeded to not make the playoffs? Obviously there was other variables last season as well, but that was a major reason for the team falling out of the race at the end IMO.

We won the game against MTL where Hanifin was injured early, leaving us 4 pts back with 9 games to play; MTL had 10 to play.

MTL only managed 10 pts in those last 10 games. CGY only managed 10pts in those last 9 games.

We played MTL again 2 days after Hanifin's injury and lost 2-1. PP goals for each team in the 1st, and then Toffoli scored EVS in the 2nd - Tanev/Gio were the D on the ice - a bit of a broken play where all five Flames weren't great. Nesterov ended up playing 20 mins, with Stone and Valimaki under 15.

Had we won that game in regulation (and all else being equal) we'd have ended up tied in pts and I believe made the playoffs.

Of course, those 10pts in 9 games without Hanifin (12 in 10 if you include injury game) were a slightly higher pt % than their sub .500% in the first 46 games with him.

It's also worth noting how healthy the Flames were that season - at the time of the Hanifin injury the top 10 TOI skates had missed a total of 2 games (Backlund); though I suppose Markstrom did miss some time. Then again, MTL didn't have Price for any of the 5 late season games against CGY and started Cayden Primeau in one of them.

[Classic_Sniper]

Honestly, not even sure what to do with Monahan anymore. It’s a tiring exercise just thinking where he even fits on the team. I figured bringing back his old pal Toffoli would at the very least, create a duo with some chemistry, but I don’t think the two have connected on a single goal yet.

If the team has any kind of trade proposal on the table for Monahan at the TDL. It should seriously be looked at. Monahan’s cap hit next season is still the biggest issue, but with 29 games left of the season, there’s doesn’t appear to be a turnaround coming for Monahan’s 5 on 5 game.

I think he’s falling very close to the liability category here. He’s somehow, by far, a team worst -13 on team that has a +41 goal differential at even strength. He’s allowed 27 goals at 5 on 5 which sits tied for worst among forwards. Is it crazy to think how much better it would be if he played less minutes or wasn’t on the roster at all?

I mean, not scoring is one thing, but when your line is constantly allowing getting scored on, that’s another thing. In the playoffs, the Flames will be playing against top tier competition who have better depth. So if top lines cancel each other out in the playoffs, the 3rd line could be key here and I don’t like the odds of our 3rd line going up against the best 3rd lines in the league. I don’t know if moving Monahan is even realistic this season, but I don’t want to see the team being ousted early because of their weak-links again.

[FBI]

Valimaki just needs a chance like Kylington did.

[blankall]

Monahan is really not in a position to succeed. Both him and Toffoli are primarily goal scorers. There's no one to set them up. It seems like whenever I hear Monahan's name, it's him taking a shot from a low percentage scoring position.

[nieuwy-89]

There was a play last night where Lucic and Monahan were both in front the Habs net. Puck came through and bounced around a bit. Both took wild swings at it but they just looked awkward. I was thinking 2018-19 Mony would have buried that and made it look easy. He's just not the same player anymore.

[EVERLAST]

I'm beginning to wonder how #23 ended up making just as much as #13 with this steep dive off a cliff in his performance.

He's just so weak on pucks, unconfident, no poise and couldn't even be bothered to back up his goalie last night when it was getting chippy in the blue paint for Markstrom.

Sean should be Thanking his lucky stars Darryl is trying to let him work out of this funk ....and Dube is an idiot for not jumping all over this opportunity.
Instead we have Richie with open net opportunities playing.
Sure he's a bigger body but again we've got another player just not getting it done.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by blankall

Monahan is really not in a position to succeed. Both him and Toffoli are primarily goal scorers. There's no one to set them up. It seems like whenever I hear Monahan's name, it's him taking a shot from a low percentage scoring position.

I can’t imagine sheltering him anymore than he currently is. If he can’t produce alongside Toffoli then I fear we are out of excuses for Monahan. Need production out of that spot or this team will be limited on what they can do in the postseason.

[TheSquatch]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

I'm beginning to wonder how #23 ended up making just as much as #13 with this steep dive off a cliff in his performance.

He's just so weak on pucks, unconfident, no poise and couldn't even be bothered to back up his goalie last night when it was getting chippy in the blue paint for Markstrom.

Sean should be Thanking his lucky stars Darryl is trying to let him work out of this funk ....and Dube is an idiot for not jumping all over this opportunity.
Instead we have Richie with open net opportunities playing.
Sure he's a bigger body but again we've got another player just not getting it done.

When the contract was signed, Monahan had proven he was NHL capable, was scoring very regularly, and looked more like a franchise type piece than Gaudreau did pretty often. He was really steady, and had an uncanny knack for scoring just outside the crease. He was the best center the Flames had seen for... a dozen years? The contract was fine. Good value.

The issue is, over the last 4 years, he's gotten injured in various ways, and the repairs haven't been 100%. That's all there is to it. The guy's tough as nails, has played out just about every year on a ruined something-or-other, and all we do is moan about how he sucks.

Now, this is not me changing my tune - I have for a very long while been on the "Monahan is not a top flight 1C" drum. He's not big enough, not fast enough, and not mean enough to dominate. His skill is getting shots off from a postage stamp of ice and having them go in. That hasn't been there this year (or last really), and luckily he's worked hard on other aspects of his game - defensive play and faceoffs.

Without Lindholm in the 1C slot (phew!) this team was dead in the water this year. End of story. Monahan's hurt or recovering or just plain wore out, and if he can improve, that's great, but we have to remember what Monahan is at best and not expect anything else. He's never going to beat anyone up, never going to be scary in the corners. He's competent. And currently overpaid, but that's hardly his fault.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

I'm beginning to wonder how #23 ended up making just as much as #13 with this steep dive off a cliff in his performance.

He's just so weak on pucks, unconfident, no poise and couldn't even be bothered to back up his goalie last night when it was getting chippy in the blue paint for Markstrom.

Sean should be Thanking his lucky stars Darryl is trying to let him work out of this funk ....and Dube is an idiot for not jumping all over this opportunity.
Instead we have Richie with open net opportunities playing.
Sure he's a bigger body but again we've got another player just not getting it done.

2013 draft class, Monny is:

1st in gp (despite the noted injuries)
2nd in goals (MacKinnon finally overtook him last season)
3rd in pts (behind MacKinnon and Barkov).

He has earned every penny.


The last 6 years of their deals (SM - JG)

Decent - Decent
Good - Great
Great - Great+
Decent - Decent+
Poor - Poor until the end when it didn't really matter anymore
Bad - Great


It's only been the last 70 games or so where Gaudreau has really blown him out of the water.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

2013 draft class, Monny is:

1st in gp (despite the noted injuries)
2nd in goals (MacKinnon finally overtook him last season)
3rd in pts (behind MacKinnon and Barkov).

He has earned every penny.


The last 6 years of their deals (SM - JG)

Decent - Decent
Good - Great
Great - Great+
Decent - Decent+
Poor - Poor until the end when it didn't really matter anymore
Bad - Great


It's only been the last 70 games or so where Gaudreau has really blown him out of the water.

True, but even when Monny was successful he owed a lot of that success to Johnny.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

True, but even when Monny was successful he owed a lot of that success to Johnny.

The reverse was also true.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by timbit

The reverse was also true.

Johnny has had major success without Mony as his centre. He's playing the best hockey of his career right now (aside from the first half of '18-'19).

Has Mony had any significant success without Johnny on his wing?

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Johnny has had major success without Mony as his centre. He's playing the best hockey of his career right now (outside of the first half of '18-'19).

Has Mony had any significant success without Johnny on his wing?

You dramatically changed the context of my comment.

When they played together , especially early, they were equally important to each other.

Who did Johnny play with in the first half of 18-19?

You can’t just bury and falsely critique a significant player’s past because of major injuries.

It’s not fair…and blatantly false.