[PGT] Happy New Year! Flames win 4-2 over Arizona!

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I'm more frustrated than concerned because Monahan is clearly having an "off" year. He is under contract for six more and is obviously a much better player than he is playing right now. I'm confident he will get back to what makes him effective in plenty of time to help the Flames, even if it doesn't happen this season.

Frustrated or concerned, either way he is playing poorly and this team can't have great success with him at $6 million plus while playing at this level. I think I find the concept of him having an entire "off year" frustrating, concerning, distressing etc. Do elite players have entire off years? Any thoughts on what is going on with him? He was a complete factor non factor last night and as others have said, appeared almost disinterested. Disappointing for a guy with a letter on his sweater too.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Frustrated or concerned, either way he is playing poorly and this team can't have great success with him at $6 million plus while playing at this level. I think I find the concept of him having an entire "off year" frustrating, concerning, distressing etc. Do elite players have entire off years? Any thoughts on what is going on with him? He was a complete factor non factor last night and as others have said, appeared almost disinterested. Disappointing for a guy with a letter on his sweater too.

Elite players have off years FYI.

Nonetheless I just watched the game in full and I think you're exaggerating. He just didn't get on the scoresheet and he's understated in his game. He had a few good chances and bunch of good plays. Not his best game but nothing to get all chicken little about.

[FiveSeven]

Personally, I think Monahan needs to add something else to his game.

Good hockey IQ, Good wrister, Decent at passing. Decent defensively. That's about it for me.

Slow skater, no real dekes, subpar stickhandling, not physical at all, no slapper, vanisher, doesn't drive play.

Sometimes is all genetics, but he needs to get faster if possible, or get more physical.

Even during his point streak, it was either where he was left wide open, or on the PP.
He was one of my favorites, but now he kind of scares me.
Still young but I really hope he adds something to his repertoire.

[FBI]

Well he has had an off year except for that recent 10 game point streak..
If that streak starts up again he will be back in 50 point range which isn't spectacular for him but not terrible for an off year.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by heep223

Elite players have off years FYI.

Nonetheless I just watched the game in full and I think you're exaggerating. He just didn't get on the scoresheet and he's understated in his game. He had a few good chances and bunch of good plays. Not his best game but nothing to get all chicken little about.

Which plays were those? Him and Gaudreau were total non factors and had one of their worst games of the year. He did not have a few good chances or a bunch of good plays.

Just like the beginning of the year these guys weren't ready to play and the bottom players showed up so this isn't a coaches issue.

Anyone ever notice how it's always the same players crapping the bed in the same game? Maybe these guys shouldn't be out partying the night before a game. Thought they'd learn their lesson from their benching last season.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by heep223

Elite players have off years FYI.

Nonetheless I just watched the game in full and I think you're exaggerating. He just didn't get on the scoresheet and he's understated in his game. He had a few good chances and bunch of good plays. Not his best game but nothing to get all chicken little about.

Holy condescension Batman. I disagree with your assessment of his play. Other guys didn't get on the scoresheet but had an impact. Not Monahan. If it was just one bad game of course, but it's more than that.

Granted there is half a season to go, but I don't like the idea of a foundational player having an entire off year. Or maybe you're happy with Flames as a bubble playoff team and being outplayed by worst team in league.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Holy condescension Batman. I disagree with your assessment of his play. Other guys didn't get on the scoresheet but had an impact. Not Monahan. If it was just one bad game of course, but it's more than that.

Granted there is half a season to go, but I don't like the idea of a foundational player having an entire off year. Or maybe you're happy with Flames as a bubble playoff team and being outplayed by worst team in league.

I agree Monahan has not been very good overall this season, but I wouldn't call it an entire year off so far. He's had a few good stretches of games, particularly during the teams past little run. But he has to be better and more consistent, no question.

[Heavy Jack]

I really do think people are to hard on Monahan and don't realize just how close he actually is to matching his performance from the last two years, all this while not playing in the WHC and having no pre-season/camp conditioning to go into the year, a new system and coach and no Johnny on his wing for much of the year.

Through 39 games he has 10 G and 10 A giving him just a 42 point pace over 82 games... But a lot like last year Monahan is really starting to gear up leading into the second half and just had a recent 10 game point streak though he has slid a bit going pointless in 5 games. That said if Monahan continues a pace that he has had in the past 15 games he should finish at around 55 points - not to far off from the 63 he put up last year, 62 the year before. That's 7 points away from matching his past two campaigns.

On top of that he's becoming a faceoff beast! For example the last 5 games he's gone pointless but here's a look at his faceoffs:


@ SJS 9 W 7 L - 56.3 %
vs VAN 10 W 10 L - 50 %
@ COL 11 W 6 L - 64.7 %
vs ANA 11 W 9 L - 55 %
vs PHO 8 W 7 L - 53.3 %

He's taking lots of faceoffs and averaging very well, especially since mid November and has had 10 games over 60 % a few being over 70 %.

He's starting to round into a more complete player which is why the flash he has shown in the past has been a bit absent this year but a 53% faceoff guy who puts up 30/30 numbers is a beautiful thing to have and it seems as though we almost definitely have that with Mony.

Total faceoffs so far:

This year: 373 W / 333 L / 52.8 % | pace: 784 W / 700 L / 52.8 %
Last year: 887 W / 853 L / 51 %
2nd year: 902 W / 917 L / 49.6 %
1st year: 476 W / 560 L / 45.9 %

A slight dip year over year in the amount of faceoffs taken but I think that's a nod to Bennett/Backlund growing and stepping up in their respective roles.

Really great to see Mony continue to progress in the important areas of the game!

[HOWITZER]

Late to the party, but happy new year CP!

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I believe DeAngelo's junior suspensions were for racist slurs. That's why some teams shied away from drafting him.

Way late... but he had multiple suspensions in junior. That was the biggest one.