Player Discussion: Sean Monahan

[NotWendell]

His shot is better, but otherwise agree.


If u leave can I be a mod

How about she stays and you do all of her work?

 

[Viqsi]

How about she stays and you do all of her work?

Oh, yes, I like this plan. I could use another minion.

 

[Cowumbus]

Oh, yes, I like this plan. I could use another minion.

 

[CalBuckeyeRob]

I have to laugh when people seem surprised at the AAV for Monahan. Look at all the signings and show me more than a few that were market value contracts. It’s so obvious that when you sign players in free agency, you will likely overpay. And it was especially true this year with the cap rising.

It should be a requirement to anyone that criticizes the terms of a free agent contract to identify alternative free agents of similar talent that would sign for the amount they would pay. Players with leverage get more than par value.

 

[Viqsi]

View attachment 891119

yeeesssssssssss

 

[Doggy]

I heard Sillinger kicked Boone's ass in pickleball once.

I'd love to play pickleball with these guys some time. I bet they'd kick my ass! I believe Cam plays a lot. I still say the CBJ Foundation should host a pro-am charity tournament.

 

[NotWendell]

It should be a requirement to anyone that criticizes the terms of a free agent contract to identify alternative free agents of similar talent that would sign for the amount they would pay. Players with leverage get more than par value.

Then we can all make fun of them. Wait! Don't we do that now?

 

[Doggy]

Then we can all. make fun of them. Wait! Don't we do that now?

These are the same people who suggest trades like: 'The Hawks need defensive help, let's trade Bean and Boqvist to the Hawks for Connor Bedard. We could sweeten the pot with Sean Kuraly and Mathieu Olivier if necessary'.

 

[KJ Dangler]

Waddell said he hopes to have a coach in place within a week, so we’re a long way from having settled forward lines. But Monahan’s arrival could work wonders on the depth chart.

The Blue Jackets have played captain Boone Jenner at center for the past five seasons, even though many feel he’s best suited to play on the wing, where he played at the start of his career. Monahan’s arrival could allow Jenner to return to the wing

Waddell wants to be careful not to overexpose the Blue Jackets’ young players, and slotting Monahan in the No. 1 spot would slide second-year pro Adam Fantilli into a second-line role while Cole Sillinger, already heading into his fourth season, can thrive as a third-line checker.

“It gives us a lot of flexibility,” Waddell said. “(Monahan) jumps right into that No. 1 spot. Adam falls right behind him. Whether we keep Boone in the middle or put Silly there, those are great options for us.

“Down the middle is the strength of your hockey team. We want to be really good there, and I think we’re set up to have some success with that. You add (fourth-line center Sean) Kuraly in there, and down the middle we’re going to be really strong.”

Monahan had 26-33-59 last season split between Montreal (49 games) and Winnipeg (34). After two injury-riddled seasons, including two hip surgeries, he got back to the kind of production he delivered in the early part of his career, when he had three 30-goal seasons as Gaudreau’s linemate.

“I went through a bit of a grind for two, two-and-a-half years,” Monahan said. “It was partially on me. I was trying to play through injuries, just push through it. I felt the need to play was so important.

“I’m fully recovered now. This last season was huge. My confidence is back. I feel back to myself. I know how good a player I can be. I know I can be a really important piece to help the Blue Jackets turn this around. I still don’t think I’ve played my best hockey, not even close.”

That’s saying something. From 2013-14 to 2019-20 (seven seasons), Monahan averaged 28 goals and 31 assists. He was asked if rekindling the magic with Gaudreau is like riding a bike.

“I think so, to be honest,” Monahan said. “We had a lot of chemistry. I know the way Johnny plays. I know where he’s going to be and where he wants me to be. I know he’s going to be passing the puck. He’s a fantastic player. I’m looking forward to sharing the ice with him again.”

Can Sean Monahan center the Blue Jackets' top line — and thrive again with Johnny Gaudreau?

By signing Monahan to a five-year, $27.5 million contract, GM Don Waddell said he accomplished two objectives.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Doggy]

I am this close to just giving up on hockey altogether.

What's next? He hires McEligott as PBP because "I love those little quips he has when goals are scored"?

I feel like I missed my chance to say this but I am going to say it anyway. And if you don't get it...well...that's on you.

"You can't leave, all the plants will die"

 

[majormajor]

“It gives us a lot of flexibility,” Waddell said. “(Monahan) jumps right into that No. 1 spot. Adam falls right behind him. Whether we keep Boone in the middle or put Silly there, those are great options for us.

Is there an issue with Voronkov that we don't know about?

Or is it possible that Waddell just hasn't watched him at all yet? It's possible he has no idea about how Voronkov and Sillinger and Fantilli actually played at the position.

 

[I3LI3]

interesting stats.. Sean’s career at NWA.

to add to this… in his last 7 games at nationwide he has 8 points. he sure does like playing in columbus.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

So I decided to kinda sit on this one and gather my thoughts. Initially, my thoughts weren't good. I thought it was too much for too many years. I couldn't shake the idea that he was literally a salary dump a few years ago and required a 1st to be dumped off on MTL. However, after reading more into the injuries, I have seen why he was really restricted. I've read a lot of injury concerns and he's been given the "injury prone" label, but idk if I agree with that. From what Monahan was saying, his struggles were linked to the same injuries that he never had healed completely, and in his career he's been relatively healthy and missed few games. I'm not that concerned with injuries with him, not more than anyone else at least.

So I have come around on the signing. We've been starved of good character veterans and good centers. He is both. The bonus is he already has history with our best forward and can potentially be the key to igniting him to his previous glory (I know his best season came on a line with Tkachuk and Lindholm but there was many productive seasons with Monahan). It allows us time not only to be patient with Lindstrom but Fantilli as well. It pushes Sillinger to improve or risk losing out at center. It allows us to have many forwards who can take draws in case someone else gets thrown out of the draw or injuries strike.

TLDR; is it too long and too expensive? Yeah, maybe a bit. But he brings a style of play we definitely need on the ice, and he's an exceptional character to add to a room who needs more direction. The Gaudreau stuff is gravy. If he can bring his 40-60 point pace to the team for at least 3 of the 5 years, I think its worth it.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

So I decided to kinda sit on this one and gather my thoughts. Initially, my thoughts weren't good. I thought it was too much for too many years. I couldn't shake the idea that he was literally a salary dump a few years ago and required a 1st to be dumped off on MTL. However, after reading more into the injuries, I have seen why he was really restricted. I've read a lot of injury concerns and he's been given the "injury prone" label, but idk if I agree with that. From what Monahan was saying, his struggles were linked to the same injuries that he never had healed completely, and in his career he's been relatively healthy and missed few games. I'm not that concerned with injuries with him, not more than anyone else at least.

So I have come around on the signing. We've been starved of good character veterans and good centers. He is both. The bonus is he already has history with our best forward and can potentially be the key to igniting him to his previous glory (I know his best season came on a line with Tkachuk and Lindholm but there was many productive seasons with Monahan). It allows us time not only to be patient with Lindstrom but Fantilli as well. It pushes Sillinger to improve or risk losing out at center. It allows us to have many forwards who can take draws in case someone else gets thrown out of the draw or injuries strike.

TLDR; is it too long and too expensive? Yeah, maybe a bit. But he brings a style of play we definitely need on the ice, and he's an exceptional character to add to a room who needs more direction. The Gaudreau stuff is gravy. If he can bring his 40-60 point pace to the team for at least 3 of the 5 years, I think its worth it.

Same here. He brings offense into the top 6, chemistry with Gaudreau and a lot of other advantages. Bring in D via a Laine trade and maybe also via assets brought in from, for instance, taking on Bäckström's contract and I think there might even be reasons for optimism.

 

[DankoCBJ]

Bring in D via a Laine trade

This seems like the obvious move to make. Laine has been linked in rumours to Minnesota and Montreal maybe even Utah and Buffalo? Any ideas on the Ds that perhaps might be available from those teams?

 

[majormajor]

Bring in D via a Laine trade

This seems like the obvious move to make. Laine has been linked in rumours to Minnesota and Montreal maybe even Utah and Buffalo? Any ideas on the Ds that perhaps might be available from those teams?

That's such a specialized type of trade though. It's hard enough finding a match for Laine, requiring a team to have a good D they went to send for him is going to hurt the chances of a deal.

It's like going on a dating app and requiring every match to have the same exact interest in obscure photography and also be cute and have WNBA season tickets.

We actually have a lot of available trade assets to get a versatile/shutdown bottom four defender, so I'd look for that separately.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

That's such a specialized type of trade though. It's hard enough finding a match for Laine, requiring a team to have a good D they went to send for him is going to hurt the chances of a deal.

It's like going on a dating app and requiring every match to have the same exact interest in obscure photography and also be cute and have WNBA season tickets.

We actually have a lot of available trade assets to get a versatile/shutdown bottom four defender, so I'd look for that separately.

Columbus need to improve the defense. I don't care specifically if they do that directly or indirectly from a Laine trade or if they do it separately. But the Laine route seems to be the most straight-forward way to do it.

Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that D-Wad can pull off some good moves this off-season.

This seems like the obvious move to make. Laine has been linked in rumours to Minnesota and Montreal maybe even Utah and Buffalo? Any ideas on the Ds that perhaps might be available from those teams?

No idea. Utah has just went on a UFA craze, so I don't suspect they'll look for trades. Buffalo, maybe Samuelsson or Byram? Minnesota, maybe Spurgeon? Montréal, I just don't see it in terms of D.

 

[Cujorulesdtown9]

It costs money to get players. Thats just how it works.
If our guys can start to finish chances, this pickup will be well worth it.

 

[CBJx614]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808002317654057234

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

Looks like a buyout neutral contract, right? So not great but not bad, basically doesn't matter when you buy it out if you need to...

NMC and 15 team trade list for the last two years isn't super ideal, but we can get rid of the contract by paying a small premium.

It all hangs on his play for the first three years. If he looks like he did in Montreal and early Calgary then we're good.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

This will be a good deal if he plays well, but a bad deal if he does not.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

This will be a good deal if he plays well, but a bad deal if he does not.

That's a little optimistic, don't you think?

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

The deal is a year or two too long for my liking, but it buys some time for Lindstrom to finish becoming NHL-ready and helps to take some of the load off of Fantilli's shoulders for the next couple of seasons.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

The deal is a year or two too long for my liking, but it buys some time for Lindstrom to finish becoming NHL-ready and helps to take some of the load off of Fantilli's shoulders for the next couple of seasons.

I don't know for sure the answer to this but I do know they changed their local carrier so the new network may have had something to do with it.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

All true, but at this point we're mainly concerned with what they can do together.

True, but there were many years there where Monahan was actively dragging Gaudreau down. But to your point, a lot of that was when Monahan was fighting through injury. If he can stay healthy, he's much less of a liability, but that's a HUGE if. Hopefully when he does get hurt, he proves he's learned from his mistakes and doesn't insist on playing through it, because that's not pretty.

But even when healthy, he's still not really a center for me. He's always been a very smart offensive player, but he's just too weak in his own zone to play C. And not for lack of effort or IQ, it's just that his footspeed causes so many problems for him defending off the cycle. He's also a very poor puck transporter for a "top 6" center, which further exacerbates his defensive issues (when he is able to regain possession, he's not able to skate it out of danger). These two flaws combined mean his line gets hemmed in a lot, which is the last thing you want when you've got your top offensive winger on the ice. These issues become increasingly evident in playoff style hockey, where top possession teams have victimized Monahan at 5v5 (there's a reason he has a total of 4 5v5 points in his 35 game playoff career).

I think Jenner is a better fit for C than Monahan, even though he's not as good of a distributor.

If I were setting lines, I would probably keep Jenner as the top C and have Monahan playing on the wing to insulate Fantilli and take faceoffs.

Gaudreau - Jenner - Marchenko
-> This trio showed some solid chemistry at times last year.

Monahan - Fantilli - Chinakhov
-> Two high paced, powerful skaters to drive the play in Fantilli and Chinakhov, Monahan can help take faceoffs and facilitate offensively