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

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Sofa GM

If the Flames want to salvage anything out of Monahan they can’t have him play with Lucic and Lewis, that’s insane. Worst case, make him play wing on the Backlund line or the Dube line (I would prefer the Dube line). Agree that he has to play with skilled players to be anywhere close to effective.

Right, but Darryl Sutter doesn’t seem like the type of coach who cares much about salvaging a single player’s season/career. Monahan makes a couple of mistakes against the Ducks in game 2 of the season and boom, relegated to the 4th line. The -2 today probably won’t help him get him out of the dog house.

His scoring chances have dried up considerably and his rush chances are basically non existent. At this point, he’s just gonna have to put on the work boots and grind the corners like he’s never had to before. Get those pucks back to the point and tip, screen and clean up the garbage. Lucic at the very least has a solid cycling game and he makes some nice outlets from time to time.

Maybe one day, Coleman and Monahan will get a shot. Perhaps he’s a guy who can push the pace of play a bit and get Monahan some open space.

[dino7c]

This 4th line thing is overblown...Sutter himself said he is just trying to get him up to speed after the surgery.

Coleman is getting important minutes...not everything is goals and assists.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by dino7c

This 4th line thing is overblown...Sutter himself said he is just trying to get him up to speed after the surgery.

Coleman is getting important minutes...not everything is goals and assists.

It has to be temporary. Sutter can see Monahan and Lucic together are disaster. Too slow, they got pinned too many times today.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by neo45

I don’t know what Monahan’s trade value is or ever was but the org has definitely hurt it by having him play hurt when he wasn’t helping and now putting him on the fourth line

Everyone talks about him playing hurt. But he wasn’t hurt in the entire 2019 calendar year where he looked awful. The real problem is the lack of versatility and dimensions to his offensive game. He scores in very few methods, so it’s easy for the opposition to game plan and take that away. His pace of play was never good to begin with and it’s even slower in 2021.

If he had a little bit more power and better ability to protect/hold on to pucks, then he could at least do what Matthew Tkachuk does because lord knows Chucky can’t skate. But at the very least, Chucky has a strong stick and can shield pucks, so he can create time and space for himself until plays open up.

[Shazam]

He's obviously on the fourth line to keep him safe before he's traded.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by dino7c

This 4th line thing is overblown...Sutter himself said he is just trying to get him up to speed after the surgery.

Coleman is getting important minutes...not everything is goals and assists.

Sounds like a cop out answer to me. If he wanted Monahan to get back up to speed, why didn’t he deploy him on the 4th line in training camp/preseason? Why did he start Monahan in the top 6 to start the regular season and why did he relegate him to the 4th line only after the disastrous Ducks game where he contributed directly to the Duck’s second and third goals?

It seems more like Darryl is playing guys who he trusts and who he thinks will win him a hockey game. Take today for instance, Monahan didn‘t play a second of OT time today likely because of the OT gaff he made against the Ducks a couple games prior. It seems more like punishment at this point, then anything else.

[GioforPM]

Gaffe.
With an e.
Unless you are fishing.

Hanifin was playing in OT and he was a bigger culprit than Monahan against the Ducks.

[Harry Lime]

I'm really liking Monahans focus shifting to defense under Sutter. He is not going to be a defensive juggernaut by any means, but I think that he can be an overall positive in that way, even if it costs some 5v5 offense.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Sounds like a cop out answer to me. If he wanted Monahan to get back up to speed, why didn’t he deploy him on the 4th line in training camp/preseason?

Because he didn't deploy him at all until almost the end of camp.

I'm guessing that the surgery completely bollixed Monahan's off-season regimen. His conditioning has probably taken a hit, and his timing and game readiness are even further behind.

At this point they're not going to scratch him in favour of the corpse of Brad Richardson, and they can't have 24 men on the active roster, so they have to give him a limited role and hope he's mostly harmless until he gets over the rust.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Because he didn't deploy him at all until almost the end of camp.



I'm guessing that the surgery completely bollixed Monahan's off-season regimen. His conditioning has probably taken a hit, and his timing and game readiness are even further behind.



At this point they're not going to scratch him in favour of the corpse of Brad Richardson, and they can't have 24 men on the active roster, so they have to give him a limited role and hope he's mostly harmless until he gets over the rust.

This. Pretty hard to do hi-intensity and cardio after most hip surgeries. Assuming he had hip labrum repair that's six months for a regular person.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

I'm really liking Monahans focus shifting to defense under Sutter. He is not going to be a defensive juggernaut by any means, but I think that he can be an overall positive in that way, even if it costs some 5v5 offense.

If these guys can learn to play the right way, the Flames can always look at adding offense. A team game is a good start.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Gaffe.
With an e.
Unless you are fishing.

Hanifin was playing in OT and he was a bigger culprit than Monahan against the Ducks.

Thanks Textcritic.

Yes, I agree. Hanifin was the bigger culprit on that OT goal. But Monahan also made the poor line change that allowed the tying goal. Also, Hanifin slots as the #1 LHD with a bullet. Even if Hanifin cost the team all 3 goals, what's Sutter going to do? He's the only viable option available.

Conversely, Monahan doesn't have that same leverage. Sutter has lots of centers at his disposal.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Thanks Textcritic.

Yes, I agree. Hanifin was the bigger culprit on that OT goal. But Monahan also made the poor line change that allowed the tying goal. Also, Hanifin slots as the #1 LHD with a bullet. Even if Hanifin cost the team all 3 goals, what's Sutter going to do? He's the only viable option available.

Conversely, Monahan doesn't have that same leverage. Sutter has lots of centers at his disposal.

Fair enough, but the Sutter is being inconsistent with his “punishments”. Or else he was going with hot hands, as they sometimes do.

It’s clear Monahan’s stamina is not where it should be. His skating is better early in games, but his shifts get shorter and shorter, so I suspect those commenting on his cardio may be right. So keeping him out at the end of the game may have been a fitness issue. You don’t want a guy with rubber legs in OT.

[djsFlames]

Monahan needs to play with Coleman.

Coleman is quick and makes things happen. Monahan can regain his confidence by being the beneficiary of that.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Shazam

He's obviously on the fourth line to keep him safe before he's traded.

Traded?

What is a 4th liner with a $6.5M cap hit who isn’t up to speed yet worth?

Until he proves himself healthy and productive,he’s got zero value.


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[memphusk]

Monahan looks like he's trying to me. Maybe no goals yet but his focus on the all around game looks better. I hope it all blends together and he can pot 20-25 while being better defensively.

[Goriders]

Saw him run over a few guys today. You know he’s trying.

Hopefully it works out.

[GreenLantern2814]

Monahan should give a longer stick a whirl - He holds that twig like it’s a lightsaber.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Gaffe.
With an e.
Unless you are fishing.

Hanifin was playing in OT and he was a bigger culprit than Monahan against the Ducks.

Disagreed. He was fed an irresponsible pass by Monny on that play. Nothing he could do with it.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Disagreed. He was fed an irresponsible pass by Monny on that play. Nothing he could do with it.

There were plenty of things he could do with it aside from trying to skate through a defender. He could have gone wide and regrouped, he could have passed back to Gaudreau out of the zone, he could have retreated to draw the defender and look for an open man.

Monahan’s decision to enter the zone with a pass to Hanifin was bad. Hanifin’s decision to try and cut through a defender was worse. He panicked a bit. TBF, if he gets by both he and Monahan look like geniuses.