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

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Fire

Monahan would have 30+ goals by the end of the season if he was on the first line instead of Lindholm. Obviously Lindholm is the better player and deserves to be there, but saying Monahan should be in the press box is ridiculous.

We probably wouldn't be winning as much if Monahan was on the top line. Monahan's salary for what he is should be used to pay Johnny and Matt. Sutter plays his cards well and seems to know how to get the most out of the situation.

[CsInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by Fire

Monahan would have 30+ goals by the end of the season if he was on the first line instead of Lindholm. Obviously Lindholm is the better player and deserves to be there, but saying Monahan should be in the press box is ridiculous.

What? 30 goals! Why arent they playing him there then?

[Hack&Lube]

I think everyone appreciates Monahan for what he is done for this team in the past but in terms of his current value per cap hit, his offensive contribution, his defensive value, and how easy it would be to move him?

Let's frame this another way for some perspective:

'21-'22 Monahan, w/most of the season on PP1

53 GP
8 goals
14 assists
-13
$6.375M

'18-'19 James Neal 'disastrous' Flames season

63 GP
7 goals
12 assists
-5
$5.75M

Now that Toffoli has taken away Monahan's PP1 slot, those numbers might converge even further.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I think everyone appreciates Monahan for what he is done for this team in the past but in terms of his current value per cap hit, his offensive contribution, his defensive value, and how easy it would be to move him?

Let's frame this another way for some perspective:

'21-'22 Monahan, w/most of the season on PP1

53 GP
8 goals
14 assists
-13
$6.375M

'18-'19 James Neal 'disastrous' Flames season

63 GP
7 goals
12 assists
-5
$5.75M

Now that Toffoli has taken away Monahan's PP1 slot, those numbers might converge even further.

I’ve made a lot of James Neal and Monahan comparisons in the past and these numbers are not surprising. It’s likely a big reason the Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal line didn’t work out. You got 2 very limited shooters and only one playmaker doing all the work. Yeah, that was never going to work.

[Classic_Sniper]

Seems to be quite a bit of plus/minus bashing in here. I mean I get that it has its flaws, but at its core, it’s just even strength goal differential and relative to the team, it paints a pretty grim picture for Monahan.

If people don’t want to use +/-, we could look at his 5 on 5 goal differential instead which sits at 18 GF and 27 GA, tops in GA among forwards on the team. For your sheltered $6M third line center to have the most GA on the team, that’s not good at all. Backlund in comparison has only given up 18 and he’s tasked to shut down the opposition’s most dangerous lines every night.

I know a lot of people have pointed out his improved defensive play and I agree, I do see more effort from him in this area. But he’s still really poor in the giving up goals department and a big reason for that is his poor defensive coverage and overall awareness.

I remember Geoff Ward having a great line where he said, “it’s not always what you make, it’s what you leave” that matters and in my opinion, Monahan “leaves” a lot for the opposition when he’s trying to “make” and that’s the biggest reason for his abysmal goals allowed total.

[Harry Lime]

The first 35 games of the season, Monahan played with Ritchie/Lewis/Richardson/Pitlick. He was also asked to play a role he hasn't played since his first year of junior. Also, his defense has improved a lot over the year. He is also a leader on and off the ice. He doesn't play a perimeter game. None of these things are Neal-esque.

His point totals are bad. The rest of his game is fine. If he starts scoring, a lot of these complaints go away. P.S. get Lucic off of his line.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

The first 35 games of the season, Monahan played with Ritchie/Lewis/Richardson/Pitlick. He was also asked to play a role he hasn't played since his first year of junior. Also, his defense has improved a lot over the year. He is also a leader on and off the ice. He doesn't play a perimeter game. None of these things are Neal-esque.

His point totals are bad. The rest of his game is fine. If he starts scoring, a lot of these complaints go away. P.S. get Lucic off of his line.

I don’t like Lucic on that line as it’s a bad combo of foot speed and zero playmakers, but IMO it’s not him that’s dragging it down. He looked like an awfully useful player when not skating alongside Monahan.

I don’t know that the roster currently has a spot for Monahan that is suited to his game. Your best playmakers will play with better finishers (guys who finish now, not 3+ years ago), yet he’s shown no ability to be a threat without excellent puck distributors. It’s a rock and a hard place for the coaching staff as I honestly don’t know what you do with him. I don’t think he has a place on a top 9 of a cup contending forward corps, and his skill set doesn’t work on the 4th line.

[Enoch Root]

Yes, Lucic can be a useful player.

But him on Monahan's line is a disaster

[Harry Lime]

Dube works on that line because it's a lethal shot, a deflection artist (who work off the rush) and a speedster.

Lucic doesn't work because it's a lethal shot, a deflection artist and a grinder.

[Strange Brew]

Who’s the lethal shot?

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Who’s the lethal shot?

I would imagine Toffoli.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I would imagine Toffoli.

Ok I guess Monahan is the deflection artist. That makes sense.

The problem with combining Dube and Monahan is possession and giving up chances. Maybe it works on paper if they both start playing better.

[TheSquatch]

"The problem" if you put it that way is that all these players have big holes in their game, and it's tough to find complimentary sets.

At least the fourth line has found an identity, a style they can play to and be effective.

[Hack&Lube]

Are buyouts possible for Lucic and Monahan?

I'm reminded of Minnesota buying out Parise and Suter when they started to decline and they did it with 4 years left on their contracts!

[Jay Random]

Monahan can definitely be bought out. There would be very little cap savings from buying out Lucic, because IIRC his signing bonus would have to be paid in full.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

The first 35 games of the season, Monahan played with Ritchie/Lewis/Richardson/Pitlick. He was also asked to play a role he hasn't played since his first year of junior. Also, his defense has improved a lot over the year. He is also a leader on and off the ice. He doesn't play a perimeter game. None of these things are Neal-esque.

His point totals are bad. The rest of his game is fine. If he starts scoring, a lot of these complaints go away. P.S. get Lucic off of his line.

My biggest complaint about Monahan isn’t his scoring though, my biggest complaint about Monahan is how often he gets scored on. I knew he would struggle to score without Gaudreau. I predicted it in the offseason because we’re talking about a guy whose highlight reel is basically him scoring the same type of goals over and over and over. Well, that certainly is simple to defend, you take those away and what options is he left with? So his lack of scoring is no surprise to me, it was expected. The number of goals he has allowed though for his current role, is the real story.

As for the Neal comparison, the 2 are very comparable in their attributes. A couple of below average skaters who need linemates to play with pace in order to disguise their lack of mobility. They both also have a hard time getting high danger shots off unless the puck is put on a platter for them.

I will give credit to Monahan in a couple areas though, Neal’s attitude and laziness was definitely a notable detriment whereas Monahan in contrast, seems to have a good attitude and his work ethic cannot be complained about. He’s clearly trying out there and not sulking, so that’s a good thing. But that extra year on his contract is very problematic. If he was a rental right now, I would just accept his crap performance and be done with it in a few months, but his performance right now could directly impact the Flames cap structure next season and that’s a big deal.

[Harry Lime]

Off season, Monahan with $2M retained would have the same cap hit to Calgary as a buyout, and Monahan with that cap hit to a buyer would be a good contract and gamble for one year. It would get you back a pick or decent prospect.

Monahan is never getting bought out.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Fire

Monahan would have 30+ goals by the end of the season if he was on the first line instead of Lindholm. .

Not even remotely true. He did not come close with Johnny the last two years. They saved Johnny’s career by removing Monahan from him.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Off season, Monahan with $2M retained would have the same cap hit to Calgary as a buyout, and Monahan with that cap hit to a buyer would be a good contract and gamble for one year. It would get you back a pick or decent prospect.

Monahan is never getting bought out.

Well, any retention whether buyout or trade hurts this team’s ability to sign the big 4 next season. So that’s not ideal, especially with Toffoli’s contract now in the mix.

Also, we don’t know what the current demand for Monahan is. I know it’s hard to fathom he’d need to be bought out, but what if he does? Nobody truly knows the answer to this except Treliving. So until that decision has to be made, any kind of speculation is fair.

[Philly06Cup]

The solution is simple: trade Sean Monahan for Sam Bennett.