Micheal Ferland has arrived

[treple13]

I've thought for years that Ferland had enough skill that he could put it together and be a force. He's showing serious chemistry with Monahan-Gaudreau and yes, he is making them better currently.

I don't know that "arrived" is the right word. I'm hoping this isn't a short blip for him, but it's been almost a half season worth of being clearly top line worthy.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

Personally I can't wait for the "Monahan has arrived" thread from Whiskey. This should be soon as Monahan is now tied for 4th in scoring among centers

 

[VoluntaryDom]

How would you know? You just barely found out that Gaudreau was a top 5 winger literally 24 hours ago.

Ferland has been a good 2nd liner for a while now

 

[CraigsList]

Ferland has been a good 2nd liner for a while now

Well he was a bottom 6er before getting promoted to the 1st line. Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik have always been the 2nd line and have not split apart.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Well he was a bottom 6er before getting promoted to the 1st line. Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik have always been the 2nd line and have not split apart.

I'm saying in talent level not where flames play him

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Really happy for the guy. Couldn't afford to play hockey when he was younger but his single mother made it work. Only played in one league in Brandon till he was 15 and got invited to try out for the Midget AAA team there and made that team. Couldn't afford the fees to play but a bunch of families in Swan River got together and payed for it.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Personally I can't wait for the "Monahan has arrived" thread from Whiskey. This should be soon as Monahan is now tied for 4th in scoring among centers

I've got nothing but praise for Monahan's play this year, he's been terrific. His skating has really improved. Faster, quicker, more well balanced. It's made him a decently effective puck carrier - he's able to make a little more space for himself, which has allowed him to get his head up a bit more and make plays. It's also helped with his shot selection, which at times was a bit questionable (he's got a great shot from inside the circles but doesn't have a shooting trajectory that makes him very dangerous from beyond there). He's such a smart player that when he's able to get his head up and look around he makes good decisions, and with his skating improvements he's able to do that at a much higher frequency.

He's also become much more effective in his own zone (an area where he's made improvements each year).

 

[Tofveve]

I think Johnny would be having a phenomenal year because he doesn't have a broken hand/recovering hand, he had a productive off-season (put on a bit of muscle and weight) and had a full training camp and preseason. I think he'd be having a great year with practically anyone.

But that's not to take away from Ferland either and yes he's contributed to Gaudreau's and Monahan's success. I've been a slow believer that Michael's a top line winger for the other two, but I've been slowly getting on board. He certainly has the wheels and is a solid, hard-hitting addition. To be honest, and just like the TS says, he does skills with the puck and can shoot it hard. I'm curious to see just how good he gets playing with that line if he stays on it. I mean I think playing with such talent could really bolster his whole career outlook. It's something that someone like Bennett was probably hoping for and many were wishing for too. But with how effective Michael has been, I can't see him being taken off of that line.

 

[Tofveve]

I've got nothing but praise for Monahan's play this year, he's been terrific. His skating has really improved. Faster, quicker, more well balanced. It's made him a decently effective puck carrier - he's able to make a little more space for himself, which has allowed him to get his head up a bit more and make plays. It's also helped with his shot selection, which at times was a bit questionable (he's got a great shot from inside the circles but doesn't have a shooting trajectory that makes him very dangerous from beyond there). He's such a smart player that when he's able to get his head up and look around he makes good decisions, and with his skating improvements he's able to do that at a much higher frequency.

He's also become much more effective in his own zone (an area where he's made improvements each year).

He had a somewhat slow start. Not nearly as bad and prolonged as last year, but the first 5-8 games (without looking) were mediocre at best. But for the last 12 to 15 he's been dynamite.

I hope in coming years he can shave off those slow starts to seasons (something I hated about Iggy for the last chunk of years in Calgary).

 

[Tofveve]

I like WhiskyYourTheDevils . He's a good poster and this is a good thread.

 

[Bizz]

Hockey players go through Hot Streaks. News at 11.

 

[DJJones]

Ferland has swung from a 1st liner to a third liner for over a year now so I can't get too excited. Johnny and Monahan have always started slow and then improved over the year. If the three of them can keep it up they could end up with video game stats.

Sadly Hamilton and Brodie didn't get the memo. They should both improve as the season goes on as they have always done.

 

[topcheezy]

I've got nothing but praise for Monahan's play this year, he's been terrific. His skating has really improved. Faster, quicker, more well balanced. It's made him a decently effective puck carrier - he's able to make a little more space for himself, which has allowed him to get his head up a bit more and make plays. It's also helped with his shot selection, which at times was a bit questionable (he's got a great shot from inside the circles but doesn't have a shooting trajectory that makes him very dangerous from beyond there). He's such a smart player that when he's able to get his head up and look around he makes good decisions, and with his skating improvements he's able to do that at a much higher frequency.

He's also become much more effective in his own zone (an area where he's made improvements each year).

monahan's shot selection is elite and always has been. that's why he has a career sh% of 15.3%

 

[blankall]

Hockey players go through Hot Streaks. News at 11.

It's not just a hot streak. Ferland is pulling off huge moves that show his overall level of play has been elevated. I doubt that Ferland will continue at his current PPG pace for an entire season, but even after his "hot streak" ends, he'll be at a much higher level than previous seasons.

 

[42]

Fast-forward a couple of months and it does seem that Ferland has indeed arrived this season. 34 points (only 6 on the PP), 20 goals, in 54 games playing on the top line but not top PP lately. That's a pace of 52 points over 82 games and a lot of physical play along the way.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

He's been so good this year. His 5v5 primary point production per 60 is tops on the team, I believe. He's a great goal scorer but also a very underrated playmaker.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

"Who?" - bieksa

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Gaudreau makes players around him better, he's having a really good year. He should be nomiated for the hart.

 

[Volica]

Gaudreau makes players around him better, he's having a really good year. He should be nomiated for the hart.

Ferland fits on that first line like a glove. But yes, Gaudreau is Calgary’s offensive motor. He’s getting a lot of help from that Tkachuk kid too now.

 

[Scrantonicity 2]

Hockey players go through Hot Streaks. News at 11.

You're wrong almost every time you post. News at 11.

 

[Scott Stevens]

I've been saying this for over a year, but I think it's now general knowledge. This guy is quickly turning into one of the best power forwards in the game, and is, IMO, the biggest reason for Johnny Gaudreau's turnaround.

Since he joined the top line, he's turned it into arguably the most productive trio in the league:

Gaudreau 46gp 18g 60p (14 ESG 43 ESP)
Monahan 46gp 22g 49p (13 ESG 36 ESP)
Ferland 43gp 17g 25p (14 ESG 21 ESP)

All 3 of them are top 24 in ESG over that period! That seems insane for one line!

Ferland has recently taken his game to a new level with 7g 10p in his last 10 games, scoring some beautiful snipes along the way. He could have easily had 2-3 more goals last night.

This is something I predicted 2 weeks before he finally got promoted.
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/michael-ferland.2186849/

What's really impressive about Ferland is that he's done this with very little PP opportunity and ice time in general until very recently. My math suggests he's top 5 in ES G/60 since getting his promotion. He's just now starting to get true top 6 minutes.

That’s good to see. I did not appreciate the lenient refereeing he was given when repeatedly charging Canucks players in 2015, but it’s nice that a really good player ended up coming from that one, who was scratching and clawing to stay in the nhl.

 

[crackdown44]

I hate whoever bumped this thread

 

[Bizz]

You're wrong almost every time you post. News at 11.

34 points at this stage of the season is not impressive.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

34 points at this stage of the season is not impressive.

It is when you don't get a ton of PP time and when his previous career high was 15g and 25p. He's the flames most effective primary point producer at 5v5.

He's top 10 in goals among RWs and top 30 in points.

Also, considering you said he was on a hot streak when this thread was started, the fact that he's yet to cool down from that should be impressive on it's own. It's ok to be wrong.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Who?