After the Vancouver Canucks made a splash on Wednesday (Jan. 31) acquiring Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames, the Winnipeg Jets have now joined the festivities and added Sean Monahan from the Montreal Canadiens. While the deal involving Lindholm was blockbuster in nature, this one is not with the Canadiens getting a 2024 first-round pick and conditional third-round pick in 2027 for the veteran center.
The Canadiens didn’t retain any salary in the deal and continued to add more assets to their ongoing rebuild. The Jets, meanwhile, increased their center depth and now have an adequate replacement for Mark Scheiefle until he returns from injury.
Jets Bolster Center Depth
The Jets have struggled without Scheifele since he was injured on Jan. 11 against the Chicago Blackhawks, and it became painfully obvious that they lacked center depth. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff addressed that with the addition of Monahan. While he has declined in recent years, he has proven this season that he can still provide offence and be an impact center in the NHL at 29 years old. He has 13 goals and 35 points in 49 games and has been on fire lately with 12 points in his last 10 games, including two three-point efforts in the week leading up to the All-Star Break. He is on pace for his best season since 2019-20 when he put up 22 goals and 48 points with the Flames. He actually has been more productive than his former teammate Lindholm, with four more goals and three more points.
Like Lindholm, Monahan is a two-way center capable of winning draws (55 percent on faceoffs) and playing in all situations. He has logged minutes akin to a top-line center this season with the Canadiens, averaging 18:27 a night and producing on both the power play (six goals) and penalty kill (two shorthanded goals). I would say he’s a pretty good consolation prize to Lindholm, maybe even the prize, depending on who you ask. He could also be a rental, as he was on just a one-year deal with the Canadiens worth a budget-friendly $2 million average annual value (AAV). Regardless, the Jets acquired a very capable top-six center that can fill in for Scheifele until he returns and then be a great second-line center behind him down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Canadiens Add More To Their Ongoing Rebuild
It was inevitable that Monahan was going to be traded at the deadline the minute he signed his one-year deal in the offseason. He was a candidate to be moved last year, but unfortunately was injured at the time and was eventually ruled out for the season. GM Kent Hughes brought him back and reportedly promised him that he would be traded if the Canadiens were out of the playoff picture around the deadline. He delivered on that promise, and now Monahan is part of a Stanley Cup contender.
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The Canadiens were hoping to get a first-round pick out of Monahan last year, but didn’t. Turns out it was just delayed. Now they have that coveted asset and can use it to bolster what already is a strong prospect pool. The rebuild is still ongoing, and despite a solid 2023-24 season so far, Hughes has remained on the path and could make even more trades in the coming weeks with veterans Mike Matheson, David Savard, and others possibly available to the highest bidder.
Overall, this deal benefits both sides with the Canadiens adding more to their rebuilding effort and the Jets reinforcing their center depth for what they hope is a run to the Stanley Cup.
