Player Discussion: Sean Monahan

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

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

I see the good side in things except when I see the bad side in things.

 

[tunnelvision]

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 had very similar concerns about his d zone play while watching couple games of the Jets-Avs series on demand. I wonder what kind of a breakout scheme and what type of wingers would be most suitable for Monahan, especially in 5v5 situations where CBJ manages to stop the cycle and regain possession.

Regardless of which F position Monahan will play at, I think he will need good straight line skaters on his line such as Chinakhov and/or Fantilli to make transition plays work somehow.

I like Monahan's off-puck play in the offensive zone, he's good at anticipating where the puck will be going and finding space for a pass in the middle. But if he plays with Fantilli and Chinakhov, I'm not sure how often he would actually receive the puck from them while he's open in high-danger scoring areas, so far neither of them have proved to be impressive playmakers.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I had very similar concerns about his d zone play while watching couple games of the Jets-Avs series on demand. I wonder what kind of a breakout scheme and what type of wingers would be most suitable for Monahan, especially in 5v5 situations where CBJ manages to stop the cycle and regain possession.

Regardless of which F position Monahan will play at, I think he will need good straight line skaters on his line such as Chinakhov and/or Fantilli to make transition plays work somehow.

I like Monahan's off-puck play in the offensive zone, he's good at anticipating where the puck will be going and finding space for a pass in the middle. But if he plays with Fantilli and Chinakhov, I'm not sure how often he would actually receive the puck from them while he's open in high-danger scoring areas, so far neither of them have proved to be impressive playmakers.

I think Fantilli is a good enough playmaker, and that will continue to develop. But a lot of Monahan's scoring has historically come from broken plays around the net and rebounds. I think if those guys are able to move the puck north and get it to the net, Monahan will be able to capitalize a lot.

 

[majormajor]

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

Jenner is certainly better at center specific duties, though it's possible if Monahan really clicks again with Gaudreau that they can outscore their defensive issues.

If that isn't happening then I'm fine with Monahan on the wing in the defensive zone, though I think we're still best off if Monahan is on Johnny's line offensively.

Fantilli so far doesn't have the details to succeed defensively at center, so I'm not seeing that as a great alternative at center. Jenner could handle the defense for them, it's just less exciting:

Gaudreau - Jenner - Monahan

I'd be more excited to see:

Gaudreau - Monahan/Fantilli

But it's possibly a disaster defensively.

 

[tunnelvision]

What if Brindley makes the team out of camp, could he be a good fit with Monahan (offensively, defensively + sharing center duties)?

 

[Marioesque]

What if Brindley makes the team out of camp, could he be a good fit with Monahan (offensively, defensively + sharing center duties)?

I'd expect Brindley to play with Fantilli as they have before. And Monahan with Gaudreau as before.

 

[Xoggz22]

There are two chances that Monahan does not play center for the CBJ next year. Little and none. They did not sign him to play wing. Even GMDW labeled him as the 1C. Now that may not be the case, but he's going to play center on one of the top 2 lines. This doesn't mean Boone automatically moves to wing, but it would sure seem like that's a likely option. I have to believe he's given first crack with Gaudrea and I would suggest Chinakhov on the line with them. Shooter and a north-south type player. May not work as that line would lack a true player that will hunt for pucks and forecheck, but I suspect Chinakhov can continue to grow into that type of roll. Will be exciting to see how this plays out.

What if Brindley makes the team out of camp, could he be a good fit with Monahan (offensively, defensively + sharing center duties)?

I think it's going to take a monumental effort for him to make the big club. I would think Malatesta has a better chance and I personally want Brindley to play big minutes in Cleveland to start.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

don waddell: we are signing sean monahan to be our number one center this year

hfboards posters: here are my projected lines, where i have sean monahan playing wing

 

[CBJx614]

don waddell: we are signing sean monahan to be our number one center this year

hfboards posters: here are my projected lines, where i have sean monahan playing wing

Granted I don't think any combo is locked, I do think barring him absolutely shitting the bed that he'll be locked in at center

 

[ViD]

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

I’m pretty sure they will try JG with Monahan for the old time chemistry

 

[NotWendell]

I'd expect Brindley to play with Fantilli as they have before. And Monahan with Gaudreau as before.

It still boggles the mind as to why Laine and Gaudreau just never meshed.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I’m pretty sure they will try JG with Monahan for the old time chemistry

Oh I am 100% certain thats what will happen, but not what I would do

don waddell: we are signing sean monahan to be our number one center this year

hfboards posters: here are my projected lines, where i have sean monahan playing wing

There's a difference between projected lines vs preferred lines.

 

[majormajor]

I'd expect Brindley to play with Fantilli as they have before. And Monahan with Gaudreau as before.

That's my best guess too if Brindley makes the roster.

don waddell: we are signing sean monahan to be our number one center this year

hfboards posters: here are my projected lines, where i have sean monahan playing wing

We know. Some of us are speaking prescriptively about what we'd do, not descriptively about what the Jackets do. You do that all the time too.

And I hope it's not too far fetched that Monahan will be a "center" but cover the point in the defensive zone. I think we might see that eventually. Use players to their strengths.

It still boggles the mind as to why Laine and Gaudreau just never meshed.

Two big reasons

When Laine doesn't have the puck he likes to post up higher in the zone, often above the dots. Gaudreau meanwhile likes to make shorter passes from deeper in the zone, especially to targets in the middle slot and netfront areas. Laine doesn't go there.

Laine also prefers to have the puck on his stick. Loves to feel it. He fits better with guys like Jenner who don't need the puck. Gaudreau loves to have the puck too, and he also fits better with guys like Jenner who don't need it. There's only one puck!

 

[NotWendell]

Good analysis major. Laine also likes to carry the puck, but he's not good at it!

 

[Marioesque]

It still boggles the mind as to why Laine and Gaudreau just never meshed.

They didn't have that much continuous play together. They probably would have worked it out. Johnny really prefers to make short passing plays right in front of the net for someone to tap in. That's his bread and butter. Laine is most effective further away from the net, so he expects to exploit that and stays further away where he has room to shoot from.

Monahan drives to the net and Johnny throws pucks in there, so that's why they work together.

Two big reasons

When Laine doesn't have the puck he likes to post up higher in the zone, often above the dots. Gaudreau meanwhile likes to make shorter passes from deeper in the zone, especially to targets in the middle slot and netfront areas. Laine doesn't go there.

Laine also prefers to have the puck on his stick. Loves to feel it. He fits better with guys like Jenner who don't need the puck. Gaudreau loves to have the puck too, and he also fits better with guys like Jenner who don't need it. There's only one puck!

Yeah, exactly!

 

[Marioesque]

Laine also likes to carry the puck, but he's not good at it!

Yeah totally blows

 

[Viqsi]

Yeah totally blows

When he pulls it off he looks really good. The problem is that the success rate is not high enough.

 

[stevo61]

View attachment 891219

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.

Its been harder to play for them than against them lately

 

[NotCommitted]

When he pulls it off he looks really good. The problem is that the success rate is not high enough.

There was a stat on it somewhere sometime ago. At least in that chart his success rate was not bad (if not great either), but his workload was huge, so many (probably too many) transitions/attemps happening through him.

I'm not sure if this reflects on Laine trying to do too much or just being the best option on a bad team, or both. A lot of the time entering the zone it has seemed to me the options are dump it in and lose the puck because there's no aggressive forecheck, or try a highlight reel dangle and lose the puck.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

If Laine gets his feet moving like that, at that speed, he’s a hard one to stop.

The problem, of course, is getting him to that speed without him slowing down to try to dangle through the same guy 3 times.

The player in that third clip, a shot from that high, is a totally different player than he is now. If that was CBJ Laine he probably just glides into the defender and loses it or soft dumps it into the corner and half way tries to retrieve it

 

[CBJx614]

There was a stat on it somewhere sometime ago. At least in that chart his success rate was not bad (if not great either), but his workload was huge, so many (probably too many) transitions/attemps happening through him.

I'm not sure if this reflects on Laine trying to do too much or just being the best option on a bad team, or both. A lot of the time entering the zone it has seemed to me the options are dump it in and lose the puck because there's no aggressive forecheck, or try a highlight reel dangle and lose the puck.

It felt like he's always trying to make one play too many. I know he doesn't wanna just fit into the "shooter" stereotype but bruh, you have one of the greatest shots in the game, if you don't have a set of shin pads or a stick in your lane, LET IT f***ING RIP.

 

[Marioesque]

When he pulls it off he looks really good. The problem is that the success rate is not high enough.

Is there any stat that would show it? Would be interesting to see how he fared against others.

I've seen everyone who carries the puck a lot to also fumble it a lot. I'm not entirely convinced that Laine is bad at it. From eye test he is safer than Gaudreau who is considered good at it. Or was anyway

 

[CBJx614]

Is there any stat that would show it? Would be interesting to see how he fared against others.

I've seen everyone who carries the puck a lot to also fumble it a lot. I'm not entirely convinced that Laine is bad at it. From eye test he is safer than Gaudreau who is considered good at it. Or was anyway

I also think our system or lack of one, didn't really help last season.

 

[NotCommitted]

It felt like he's always trying to make one play too many. I know he doesn't wanna just fit into the "shooter" stereotype but bruh, you have one of the greatest shots in the game, if you don't have a set of shin pads or a stick in your lane, LET IT f***ING RIP.

Something has not been right with his shooting, either mentally or physically, or both. He was always a picky shooter which is alright, but last couple years it's almost looked like he refuses to shoot and when he does it's not the accurate super rocket it used to be. Laine literally used to feel like, and be, a legitimate scoring threat from anywhere inside the blue line. Haven't had that feeling for a long time.

 

[CBJx614]

Something has not been right with his shooting, either mentally or physically, or both. He was always a picky shooter which is alright, but last couple years it's almost looked like he refuses to shoot and when he does it's not the accurate super rocket it used to be. Laine literally used to feel like, and be, a legitimate scoring threat from anywhere inside the blue line. Haven't had that feeling for a long time.

It feels like he's gripping his stick too tightly and trying to get that perfect shot, he had far too many misses juuuuuust barely too wide of the net. Instead of shooting for rebounds or shooting just to get it on net, it feels like he just wants to snipe those impossible shots.


Just my take from what I saw though.