Former Flame Monahan already up to six goals

On Monday, the Flames and their frustrated faithful were punched in the gut with the news last season’s leading scorer Tyler Toffoli was named the NHL first star of the week.

Toffoli had scored six goals in four games for the New Jersey Devils. At the moment, the Flames had managed only six goals in five games, all regulation-time losses.

On Friday, the Flames and their frustrated faithful awoke to check their hockey pools and see another former Flame excelling. Sean Monahan already has six goals on the season, having tallied his fourth in as many outings on Thursday night for the Montreal Canadiens.

By comparison, the four Flames who have spent the most time playing center in the 10 games this season, have combined for four goals.

Sorry to be the black cloud, but that’s the facts. Calgary’s crew of centers, like the rest of the team, has struggled to light the lamp. Heading into Saturday’s road clash with the Seattle Kraken, Elias Lindholm has scored twice, while Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich have each scored one goal and Mikael Backlund has a donut by his name.

If you wish to add Adam Ruzicka to the mix, since he has skated at center for stretches, that gives Calgary’s centers a grand total of six goals from five players. Throw Dillon Dube and his single goal so far this season into that pile, and it is now seven goals from six potential centers.

Among the myriad of reasons the flickering Flames sit ahead of only the San Jose Sharks in the overall standings with a 2-7-1 mark and on a six-game skid, the lack of production up the middle is a big one.

(The futility from their highest-paid player Jonathan Huberdeau and the incredible string of defensive gaffes are other keys, but you get the point.)

Granted, even heart sickened Flames fans must be happy for Monahan, whose injury woes his last three seasons in Calgary were nearly as painful to watch as it was for him to try playing through. Even last season became a write-off after he posted 17 points in 25 games for the Canadiens before needing more surgeries.

But now 29-year-old who was drafted sixth overall by the Flames in 2013 and collected 212 goals and 462 points in 656 games for Calgary appears back healthy, with nine points in 10 games.

To twist that knife further, it can’t be forgotten the Flames also sent a conditional 2025 first-round draft pick to the Canadiens for taking on Monahan and the final season of his contract, in big part to sign Kadri via free agency. The way things are going for Calgary, that may be a far painful transaction than any other in recent memory.