Flames' second-round success hinges on Sean Monahan
Sean Monahan is arguably the Flames’ best all-around forward. The 20-year-old had 31 goals this year and 62 points. He has turned into the most statistically prolific player (goal scoring wise) from the talented 2013 draft class. And he has been completely neutralized by the Ducks in the second-round of the playoffs.
Monahan has 0 points in two games. His line with Jiri Hudler and Johnny Gaudreau has 0 points. He has been a non-factor going head-to-head against Ryan Kesler in Games 1 and 2. And the Flames have looked lost and Monahan overmatched.
According to Travis Yost of TSN:
The Monahan line didn’t have success against Kesler even in circumstances where success seemed more realizable. The Monahan line, in a pretty limited sample, had no chance against the (Ryan) Getzlaf group. Do you keep going to the well and hope that the Monahan line figures out how to use their speed to their advantage, or do you split up the line combinations in an attempt to spread talent through the roster, getting out of this match-up nightmare?
The Flames have heaped a lot of faith on Monahan as a first-line center, but he simply may be too young to produce against the veteran Ducks this playoff. Still, the Flames hope he picks up his game, because they know his potential.
“He wants to play the game the right way, defensively, offensively, he’s a great special teams guy. Not many 20 year olds can play power play, penalty killing, take face offs late in periods in the offensive or defensive zones,” Calgary coach Bob Hartley said. “That’s the definition of a franchise player. I can play him in any situation because he wants to be there and he can handle that pressure.”
Is Monahan indeed a first-line center, or has he been thrust into that role based out of necessity due to Calgary’s lack of veteran forward depth? He played 19:37 on average in the regular season and he won 49.3 percent of his face offs. In the playoffs, that number has dropped to 43.4 percent as the match ups have gotten tougher – noting Kesler who has won 61.0 percent.
But as Hartley also mentioned, Monahan has put on 10-15 pounds of “solid muscle” for this season in comparison to his rookie year. So there is that.
Whether he’s ready for the challenge or not, 1C is where the Flames have employed him. Monahan was picked sixth overall in 2013 – which at the time was considered by many to be comparable to 2003 as a draft class. And he fell largely in some part by playing for a mediocre junior team in Ottawa, where he didn’t get the type of exposure as some other prospects his draft year.
“His team didn’t progress, you don’t see him playing in the Memorial Cup,” Calgary general manager Brad Treliving said. “But he was a very highly sought after and coveted prospect.”
He has scored the most goals of anyone in that draft class so far by 15. His 30-plus goal season this year showed his finishing skill.
“He’s gifted with the puck. He has a great shot, and he finds a way to get into an open area,” Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau said. “Me and (Jiri) Hudler try to find him if possible, if we find him he puts the puck in the net.”
But in the playoffs, it’s not about player development. It’s about wins. Monahan may help the Flames in the future, but is his time now? Hartley’s ability to have last change at home will help the talented forward. Then the Ducks can counter with Rickard Rakell on the third line or Nate Thompson’s group with Emerson Etem and Tim Jackman on the fourth. Translation: It’s not going to come easy for Monahan against the Ducks. But it’ll at least be a good learning experience.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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