Jets acquire Monahan in deal with Canadiens

Jets acquire Monahan in deal with Canadiens

The message from the Winnipeg Jets is loud and clear: They’re all in this season.

Rather than wait until the March 8 trade deadline, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff made a preemptive strike Friday to address one of his team’s biggest needs in the hopes of boosting an already rock-solid squad.

The Jets sent their 2024 first-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for veteran centre Sean Monahan, a pending unrestricted free agent who checks off plenty of boxes for a 30-12-5 team that currently sits first in the Central Division, second in the Western Conference and third overall in the NHL standings in terms of win percentage.

Cheveldayoff will speak with media on a conference call Friday afternoon.

Monahan, the sixth-overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, has 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 49 games with the Canadiens this season and figures to slot in on the Jets second line with Cole Perfetti and Nikolaj Ehlers. He was third on the rebuilding, non-contending Habs in scoring behind Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield but has been hot lately with 11 points in his last seven contests.

Not only will Monahan’s presence likely mean more ice time for Perfetti and Ehlers — which has been a bone of contention with many fans and pundits — but it should also have a trickle-down effect on the lineup.

That will allow Vlad Namestnikov to likely slide down to what should be a potent fourth line between Morgan Barron and Alex Iafallo. The other expected lines — Mark Scheifele with Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi, and Adam Lowry with Nino Niederreiter and Mason Appleton — give Winnipeg the kind of depth and balance needed for a lengthy playoff run.

The Jets will also have forwards Rasmus Kupari, David Gustafsson, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Dominic Toninato in the mix, although two of those skaters are going to have to be placed on waivers and sent to the Manitoba Moose in the coming days once Scheifele and Gustaffson are activated from injured reserve.

No salary was retained in the deal, though Monahan’s reasonable cap hit of US$1.985 million means the Jets can still make another addition, most likely on defence. The Jets would also have to send a conditional third round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft to Montreal should they win the Stanley Cup this spring.

Safe to say that’s a price they hope they have to pay.

A draft-and development team like the Jets doesn’t part with first-round picks easily, but this would seem to be the year to roll the dice. Not only is Winnipeg’s slot likely to be in the late 20s given their performance, but they also own Montreal’s second-round pick (as part of the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade) which is likely to be somewhere in the high 30s or early 40s.

The move comes two days after the Vancouver Canucks — the only team currently ahead of the Jets in the Western Conference — acquired centre Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames for a package that included their first-round pick. Lindholm was reportedly on Winnipeg’s radar, too.

Lindholm carries a much higher salary (US $4.85 million) and has 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists) in 49 games this year. Other contenders in the West have recently beefed up ahead of the deadline, with the Edmonton Oilers adding Corey Perry and the Colorado Avalanche welcoming Zach Parise.

Winnipeg’s interest in Monahan dates back to his draft year and he’s someone who can help the Jets in the faceoff circle (55 per cent this season and 50.9 per cent for his career). Winnipeg is currently ranked 27th at just 46.7 per cent in the dot.

Monahan could also provide some help to the ice cold power play, which is tied for 23rd in the league at just 15.7 per cent and had gone 2-for-32 heading into the break. He plays the bumper position and, at six-foot-two and 202 pounds, adds some additional size and net-front presence.

Monahan is expected to be on the ice with the Jets on Sunday as they return from the All-Star break and that’s when he will speak to members of the media for the first time since the trade.

One of the key questions will be whether other moves could be coming in the next five weeks. A depth defenceman, particularly one who can play the right side, would likely be on Winnipeg’s shopping list. Chris Tanev of the Flames is a player who, like Monahan, would certainly check off plenty of boxes.

The Jets have 35 games left in the regular-season, including just 13 against teams currently in a playoff spot. They are in a three-way battle with Colorado and Dallas for top spot in the Central. Winning the division would mean playing a wildcard team and not having to face the Avalanche or Stars in the first round.

Winnipeg returns to action next Tuesday against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.