The Montreal Canadiens have had little time to watch Sean Monahan play, but what they have seen has been extremely promising.
He was acquired for future assets, in what was essentially a sign that the Calgary Flames had lost faith in the player; due to his injuries. But one team’s trash is another team’s treasure, I’m not insinuating that Monahan is trash, because he has been quite the opposite. So much so that, I don’t think trading him would be wise at all.
When Christian Dvorak returns there will be Nick Suzuki, Alex Newhook, Monahan and Jake Evans joining him down the middle. Ideally, Newhook will shift over to the wing and the four centers will be the other guys mentioned above. But, with Kirby Dach out, it needs to be considered that there are quite a few centers that will need ice time.
#Habs Christian Dvorak (knee) in a regular jersey for practice today beginning the process of eventually returning to the line-up.
— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) October 20, 2023
Kaiden Guhle skated on his own earlier and is still considered day-to-day with an upper body injury.
There have been suggestions, for lack of better terms, about moving a player or two to open up space for a couple of prospects to come up from Laval. Monahan has been a name, but I think I would be a mistake to move him because he is the sole 80-point scorer in the lineup. Not only that, but he is also a calming presence, whose innate ability to slow the game down for his linemates.
Versatility is also a huge standout in his game, he can slot in, in my opinion, the third piece on the top line. He brings poise and a brilliant net-front presence, and his knack for deflecting and tipping pucks makes him a fantastic player on the powerplay. He complements Suzuki and Cole Caufield, because he is so smart, and he knows how to play with skilled players, evidenced by his time in Calgary with Johnny Gaudreau before coming to Montreal.
Essentially, what I’m getting at, is I believe it would be a mistake to move Monahan. Not only can he play on the wing or down the middle, but he has a veteran presence that could be a great asset with Joshua Roy and the youth coming through the pipeline. Monahan is a brilliant talent, and he does all the little things right, be it on the powerplay or even killing penalties, which he has done tremendously alongside fellow veteran Tanner Pearson.
Once Dvorak comes back, I think Monahan should slot into the first line winger position. In turn, Dvorak could slot into the third-line center role, and get a great chance to find his way with Pearson and Gallagher. Kent Hughes should keep Monahan around if he wants to sign an extension and move Dvorak after he has some time to show his stuff.
Dvorak isn’t a glamourous player, but for a team looking to add depth for their playoff push, he could provide exactly that. He could benefit from playing with offensive-minded wingers, but where he shines is in the faceoff circle and on the penalty kill. Special teams play a huge role during the playoffs, and while he won’t likely play on the man advantage, he will certainly help a team defensively, and of course, kill penalties.
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