3. A healthy Sean Monahan
A healthy Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau duo? I feel like I’m in a dream, somebody pinch me. But don’t, please.
Up until the end of December when Sean Monahan started to deal with wrist injuries, he along with Gaudreau were the ultimate duo. Monahan was on pace to hit his first 40-goal season and Gaudreau was on pace to hit 100 points. While players don’t always stay that highly consistent throughout the entire season, for about two and a half months is pretty impressive.
Last season by November, the line of Gaudreau, Monahan, and Micheal Ferland were the second-highest scoring line combo in the NHL (28g) — after Namestnikov, Stamkos, and Kucherov (34g).
Of course, that line started to falter with Ferland not being the most consistent top-six winger and Monahan started to deal with wrist injuries in December. So much so that he required wrist-reconstruction surgery. He dealt with it for most of the season, but in the final few weeks when it was evident the Calgary Flames weren’t going to make the playoffs, he decided to take the rest of the season off and required four (FOUR!!!!) surgeries between then and the end of the season.
Monahan even said that it got to a point where he couldn’t even move his wrist anymore and was basically playing with just one hand. Heading into training camp, Monahan mentioned how he hasn’t felt this good in years.
Imagine how lethal a healthy Sean Monahan with Johnny Gaudreau and an actually consistent top-six winger to join them could be? They’ll be giving these other top lines on the top teams a run for their money.