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

[Phil Russell]

I think there is a good chance that Sutter is easing Monahan into the lineup on the fourth line with lower icetime and lower expectations for scoring. He is still in training camp shape is my guess due to injury recovery and late start. I think he will move up the lineup as the season progresses. How high up the lineup is the big question. There is a good chance that we will never see the old goal scoring Monahan again but that there still may be a solid second/third line PP contributing center there and we are going to need to be patient. I have adjusted my expectations and wish him the best because I think he's been a good and loyal player and hope, for him and the team, that he can find a new role and that fans will support him.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

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.

Sutter knows what he is doing, this way he can contribute without being liable. At least until he can get healthy. If he does find his game he will be a better 200-foot player which is what you need for the playoffs.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

Sutter knows what he is doing, this way he can contribute without being liable. At least until he can get healthy. If he does find his game he will be a better 200-foot player which is what you need for the playoffs.

Right.

[Bingo]

Honestly I think Monahan individually is doing a lot of things really well. It's just that his line doesn't have the chemistry or the horses to do much offensively.

I thought his back pressure in the first period specifically was great in yesterday's game. Active sticks. More physical.

He's growing away from the puck ... now just get him with someone that can help him create offensively.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Honestly I think Monahan individually is doing a lot of things really well. It's just that his line doesn't have the chemistry or the horses to do much offensively.

I thought his back pressure in the first period specifically was great in yesterday's game. Active sticks. More physical.

He's growing away from the puck ... now just get him with someone that can help him create offensively.

I also see Monahan playing harder and being more engaged in puck battles which is something refreshing to see from him as opposed to his early years.

But the real question is, is that enough from your highest paid center? The team can easily find a league minimum center who can work hard and be hard on pucks. But the Flames aren’t talented enough to have a $6M center who’s only producing at a replacement level clip. His expectations sheerly based on salary alone means needs to not only be more productive, but needs to make his line mates better as well.

Sure, we can dump on his linemates and disregard them as being offensive blackholes. But Lucic had a 0.41 ppg last season. That equates to roughly 34 points in an 82 game season. So to me, Monahan, being paid what he is coupled with his track record, theoretically should make Lucic even better than that or really, any line mate for that matter.

If Monahan wants to be a top line center ever again, he needs to start being productive with whoever he plays with. Maybe not ppg level good, but at the very least, look occasionally dangerous. He can’t just skate around mindlessly wasting minutes; he needs to create and make his linemates better. That’s what top 6 centers do.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I also see Monahan playing harder and being more engaged in puck battles which is something refreshing to see from him as opposed to his early years.

But the real question is, is that enough from your highest paid center? The team can easily find a league minimum center who can work hard and be hard on pucks. But the Flames aren’t talented enough to have a $6M center who’s only producing at a replacement level clip. His expectations sheerly based on salary alone means needs to not only be more productive, but needs to make his line mates better as well.

Sure, we can dump on his linemates and disregard them as being offensive blackholes. But Lucic had a 0.41 ppg last season. That equates to roughly 34 points in an 82 game season. So to me, Monahan, being paid what he is coupled with his track record, theoretically should make Lucic even better than that or really, any line mate for that matter.

If Monahan wants to be a top line center ever again, he needs to start being productive with whoever he plays with. Maybe not ppg level good, but at the very least, look occasionally dangerous. He can’t just skate around mindlessly wasting minutes; he needs to create and make his linemates better. That’s what top 6 centers do.

I think it is by design, Sutter wants him to work on other parts of his game until he gets his stamina back. If Sutter wanted him to score goals he would move him back up. I think we are looking too much into it. If he is doing little things well he is going to be a "different" better player. Sutter can teach these guys what to expect in the playoffs because he has been there. For all the offense we have had during the recent playoffs we couldn't get to the next round.

These guys have to buy into the 200-foot game. Low-scoring teams need to be stronger away from the puck.

[Sylvanfan]

It really does feel like we are reaching for straws when trying to see a guy in his 9th season starting to play a bit better without the puck when the offence in his game has completely disappeared.

I'd be interested to see how his advanced stats look to start the year, but him, and Lucic looked like they were getting their heads caved in by a sledge hammer yesterday.

It really does look like this injuries were enough that once this contract is done, that might be the end of his NHL days. Two poor seasons in a row, and another tough start to this one. I hate to be hard on guys who have been injured, but it really is looking like the cumulative effect of all these injuries is pretty debilitating.

[talladega.25]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Honestly I think Monahan individually is doing a lot of things really well. It's just that his line doesn't have the chemistry or the horses to do much offensively.

I thought his back pressure in the first period specifically was great in yesterday's game. Active sticks. More physical.

He's growing away from the puck ... now just get him with someone that can help him create offensively.

Agreed! Doesn't help his cause when he's playing with some low skill guys. He was never a driver anyways.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It really does feel like we are reaching for straws when trying to see a guy in his 9th season starting to play a bit better without the puck when the offence in his game has completely disappeared.

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

If Monahan wants to be a top line center ever again, he needs to start being productive with whoever he plays with. Maybe not ppg level good, but at the very least, look occasionally dangerous. He can’t just skate around mindlessly wasting minutes; he needs to create and make his linemates better. That’s what top 6 centers do.

To me it comes down to expectations.

I see him physically better, which is key coming off a pretty severe injury. Better foot speed, better in battles, and looking more aware defensively and with back pressure.

That's not saying all is well and good. He's working hard and doing some good things, but not producing yet.

And sure he should at his paygrade, but he's just not on a line where that's going to happen. Lucic at 0.41 is the very epitome of putting a decent two way complimentary player with good players and you get some points (he played a lot last year with Dube and Ryan, Backlund, but certainly not fourth line). Monahan is a finisher playing with two guys that can't distribute the puck. Anyone blaming that on the finisher may have an axe to grind with the player.

[The Fisher Account]

4gp
0g
0a
-3

On pace for a record year, Sean.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

4gp
0g
0a
-3

On pace for a record year, Sean.

Now that's a deep dive.

[keenan87]

Monahan gets paid very good money. For the money he signed his contract, in today's world with what players are being paid, it would be around $8 MM a year.

You would hope for that type of a contract, you can get a player who can at least dominate on the fourth line instead of needing studs on his line to get anything done (especially considering he will be playing against bottom six players)...

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Honestly I think Monahan individually is doing a lot of things really well. It's just that his line doesn't have the chemistry or the horses to do much offensively.

I thought his back pressure in the first period specifically was great in yesterday's game. Active sticks. More physical.

He's growing away from the puck ... now just get him with someone that can help him create offensively.

Really it makes no sense that they broke up Mangiapane-Monahan-Dube

Mangiapane-Monahan-Dube:

TOI: 15:46
Corsi For: 72.4%
GF: 1
GA: 0
xGF: 82.7%

Dube-Mangiapane (No Monahan)

TOI: 21:21
Corsi For: 20%
GF: 1
GA: 3
xGF%: 15.8%

Monahan w/o Dube or Mangiapane

TOI: 28: 13
Corsi For: 40.9%
GF: 0
GA: 1
xGF: 38.7%

Put those three back together.

[Goriders]

Monahan’s problem from day one has been his skating. The league gets faster every year which doesn’t help him.

He’s not an NHL calibre skater and he’s not agressive. His one big skill was as a trigger man. He’s great at scoring from the slot. Now that he’s not in the top 6 anymore his chances to do that will be fewer and farther between.

So essentially he has become invisible. They most likely will not be able to trade him either. Not sure what’s going to happen with him.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Monahan gets paid very good money. For the money he signed his contract, in today's world with what players are being paid, it would be around $8 MM a year.

You would hope for that type of a contract, you can get a player who can at least dominate on the fourth line instead of needing studs on his line to get anything done (especially considering he will be playing against bottom six players)...

He's just not that kind of player. Many in the league aren't.

There are play driving forwards, often centers that are highly coveted. Then there are elite complimentary players that also have huge value.

Monahan has never been the first, and arguably calling him elite at being complimentary is probably a stretch too ... maybe second tier complimentary player.

But complimentary players playing with grinders won't get a lot done.

Seems silly to ignore all that when assessing the guy.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Really it makes no sense that they broke up Mangiapane-Monahan-Dube

Mangiapane-Monahan-Dube:

TOI: 15:46
Corsi For: 72.4%
GF: 1
GA: 0
xGF: 82.7%

Dube-Mangiapane (No Monahan)

TOI: 21:21
Corsi For: 20%
GF: 1
GA: 3
xGF%: 15.8%

Monahan w/o Dube or Mangiapane

TOI: 28: 13
Corsi For: 40.9%
GF: 0
GA: 1
xGF: 38.7%

Put those three back together.

I really think they want to try and get Dube playing center. I think that’s why they have made this move.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Bingo

He's just not that kind of player. Many in the league aren't.

There are play driving forwards, often centers that are highly coveted. Then there are elite complimentary players that also have huge value.

Monahan has never been the first, and arguably calling him elite at being complimentary is probably a stretch too ... maybe second tier complimentary player.

But complimentary players playing with grinders won't get a lot done.

Seems silly to ignore all that when assessing the guy.

We're talking about Sean Monahan here, he shouldn't be a complimentary player.
This is the same guy who used to lead his draft class in scoring and was our #1 centre in the team's best season.

I agree with others that if he can't become more than a complimentary player, his days in the league are numbered.
No one's looking for a slow, not very physical, not great defensively centre who can't make his linemates better and cost $6M+.

Hopefully this is just injury hangover and he can find a next level soon.

[DeluxeMoustache]

I do not agree with Bingo’s statement that Monahan has not been a play driver

Paired with Gaudreau, I think he changed his game to complement the guy on his line who was more of a play driver

He was able to put up over 20 goals and 40 points as a rookie with linemates like Baertschi, Hudler, Cammalleri and even the man, Joe Colborne

[Strange Brew]

Maybe too much is being made of Monahan's 5 on 5 linemates. He is playing with the team's elite players on PP1, at least for now, and that's a good place for him to show he can start producing. Limiting his 5on5 ice time right now doesn't bother me much at all.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I really think they want to try and get Dube playing center. I think that’s why they have made this move.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Then give us:

Mangiapane - Dube - Coleman

Brett Ritchie sinks everything. This team's secondary scoring is so completely absent that they cannot continue to spread out the talent to 4 lines.

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Tkachuk
Mangiapane - Dube - Coleman
Monahan - Backlund - Pitlick

or

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Tkachuk
Mangiapane - Monahan - Dube
Coleman - Backlund - Pitlick