Rumoured to be sellers ahead of the upcoming trade deadline on March 8, the Montreal Canadiens may be parting ways with centre Sean Monahan in the near future.
Many reports over the past few weeks indicate that the Canadiens can get a first-round pick on a market with very few centres of Monahan’s calibre. And although multiple teams have made calls inquiring about the 29-year-old, it may not be wise for the Habs to keep playing the waiting game.
Monahan’s upside is obvious: an affordable cap hit of less than $2 million, 35 points in 49 games, a high faceoff winning percentage (55%), etc.
But given the uncertainty of his future and past injury patterns, it might not be worth it for Montreal to squeeze out every last drop of his value in a picture-perfect deal.
Injury concerns
The Calgary Flames traded Monahan and a conditional first-round pick (2025 NHL Draft) to Montreal back in August of 2022 for future considerations.
One reason the Brampton native’s former team was willing to give him up so easily was his then-$6.5 million cap hit. Another was the fact that he had suffered through many injuries, often keeping him out of the lineup.
Before the offseason deal, Monahan underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip in two straight seasons. He also had wrist surgery after the 2016-17 season, and four surgeries, one for his wrist and groin, and two to repair hernias, before that.
Once arriving in Montreal, Monahan looked to be making a return to old form, until suffering another season-ending injury in December 2022.
Hopefully, the worst is behind him. But the Habs are taking a real gamble by having him play big minutes while waiting for a suitable offer.
If Monahan were to get hurt again, trade interest from contending teams would virtually vanish.
No guarantees
The Canadiens risk losing Monahan for nothing if they don’t trade him before the deadline.
With his one-year extension expiring in July, the veteran forward will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. And while there have been reports of both parties being interested in an extension, the soon-to-be 30-year-old doesn’t really fit within the window of when the Habs are expected to be playoff-bound.
As a result, he may very well have a change of heart, opting to join a contender via free agency instead of committing to a rebuilding team.
As of now, only Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes knows what opposing teams are willing to give up. But if it’s anything resembling a first-round pick, he should pull the trigger on a deal as soon as possible.
- You might also like:
- New team enters trade race for Canadiens' Monahan: report