Montreal Canadiens: Three Players Due For Big Bounce Back Seasons

Sean Monahan

While he was not a Montreal Canadiens players last season, not many players on the current roster were further below expectations last season than Sean Monahan. He was knocked from his perch as the team’s number one centre, and just disappeared offensively for the Calgary Flames last season.

The biggest problem for Monahan was health concerns. He was never the quickest player, but he has undergone two separate hip surgeries and he just couldn’t keep up last season. The end result was just eight goals and 23 points in 65 games before he was shut down for surgery.

The 27 year old played most of his minutes with Milan Lucic, Dillon Dube or Trevor Lewis last season and none of them are really known for their offence. Monahan has always been a great goal scorer, but Lucic and Lewis aren’t the best playmakers to work with.

The newest member of the Canadiens is also heading into the final year of his contract. That is often quite an incentive and motivator for NHL players who want to cash in when they become free agents.

It was just three years ago that Monahan was coming off a 34 goal and 82 point season. Those numbers will be out of reach, but if he is fully healed from his latest operation, and has decent offensive linemates, he could become a 20 goal scorer once again and erase the memory of his recent eight goal campaign.