Montreal Canadiens: Trade Deadline Power Rankings

When the Canadiens acquired Sean Monahan last year, the intention was always to trade him. But an injury sustained in early December kept him out for the rest of the year, which rendered that impossible. But prior to the injury, Monahan looked like the Monahan of old, registering 17 points in 25 games.

So the Canadiens decided to re-sign him and give this another go, this time at a much more reasonable cap hit of $1.985 million, which is looking like a bargain. In 12 games this year, Monahan has already matched his goal total from last year with six and has 11 points. He just needs to stay healthy, but that’s much easier said than done.

I think the better Monahan plays, the more likely the Habs will trade him. He’s got a great contract, he’s producing well, and he plays in all situations. He’s a jack of all trades and can be a difference-maker on a playoff team. And if the Habs want to use their last retention spot on Monahan, they can make it so that any team could afford to trade for him, further expanding his market.

As long as Monahan is healthy, teams will come calling; that’s all but guaranteed. He can fit anywhere in the lineup and provide veteran leadership, solid penalty killing, and even play on the powerplay. And the compensation should be more than worth it for the Canadiens.

There’s a contingency of folks that want the Habs to re-sign Monahan as opposed to trading him, and I get that, but this has to be done. Monahan has an injury-riddled past, and you worry about his longevity long-term. If you’re gifted the opportunity to trade him, you shouldn’t pass that up. Remember, the Flames had to package a first-round pick with him just to move him.

And there is nothing to say the Habs can’t circle back on July 1st to try and re-sign him then. Monahan is number one on the list right now due to his value and also the likelihood he’ll be traded, both of which are high.

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