Monahan feels wholesome, excited to play ‘high-level hockey’ after industry to Canadiens

Sean Monahan is in a position to go back to his previous shape on a brand new crew.

The Montreal Canadiens finalized a industry to obtain the ahead from the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

The Canadiens additionally gained a conditional first-round select in 2025 within the deal, which freed up cap room for the Flames to signal centre Nazem Kadri to a seven-year, $49-million deal.

Calgary received long run concerns within the deal.

During the last two seasons, Monahan has struggled with accidents, requiring hip surgical procedures in each 2021 and 2022.

After his most up-to-date process in April, Monahan feels just right about the place he is at within the restoration procedure.

“I feel this summer season is a large one for me,” Monahan instructed media by way of Zoom on Thursday. “I were given the surgical operation previous than I did the 12 months earlier than, so I’ve installed a large number of paintings this summer season and at the moment I’m again at the ice 4 occasions every week. It is been a very long time coming for me to really feel wholesome, so I’m excited to play hockey once more at a excessive point and I’m in reality excited to enroll in the Canadiens.”

Having performed thru accidents prior to now, Monahan addressed the underlying problems that experience affected his play for rather a while.

“I almost definitely may have were given these items mounted a very long time in the past, it was once my private option to play thru it, and it in spite of everything took a toll. Getting it mounted and I assume prioritizing myself, getting myself again in combination, it’s a just right feeling, and prefer I stated, I’m in reality excited to play high-level hockey once more.”

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes stated that the Habs are “no longer positive” that the centreman shall be in a position to start out the season.

“He sounds extremely inspired that for the primary time in a very long time he’s going to play a season wholesome,” Hughes stated. “I don’t know if that’s going to be Recreation 1 of the season or if it’s going to be Recreation 4 of the season. However he appears like even nowadays no longer at 100 according to cent, he is method higher than he’s been the previous few years.”

Regardless that new to the Canadiens, Monahan has a definite familiarity with a couple of of his new teammates, together with a former teammate and a present coaching spouse.

“I performed with Paul Byron for a pair years in Calgary and I in reality used to force him round rather somewhat,” stated Monahan. “Jake Evans, I teach with him on a daily basis, so I see Jake principally on a daily basis in the summertime … I’ve met (Brendan) Gallagher a couple of occasions, and you recognize what? Mainly the entire crew has reached out now and they look like an important staff.”

From the outdoor taking a look in, Monahan has been inspired with the positivity he is observed and heard from his new crew and group.

“You return into paintings, however you might have amusing doing it,” stated the nine-year veteran. “All I have heard is not anything however just right issues.”

A 2013 first-round select, Monahan has performed 656 video games with the Flames, scoring 212 objectives and notching 462 issues over that point.

All through the 2021-22 season, Monahan performed at the fourth line and produced 8 objectives and 23 issues in 65 video games — a decreased function for the previous sixth-overall select.

His best season for the Flames got here within the 2018-19 season, when he scored 34 objectives and tallied 82 issues in 78 video games making that the one season he eclipsed a point-per-game.

In 2016, Monahan signed a seven-year, $44.6 million contract with an AAV of $6.375 million. He’s set to turn out to be a UFA on the finish of the 2022-23 season.

“On behalf of all the Flames group, I sincerely thank Sean for his 9 years of selfless determination and perseverance,” Flames GM Brad Treliving stated in a commentary. “Sean was once a super Flame, a firstclass person who exemplified the definition of appreciate. Our crew and town had been lucky to have him as a participant, ambassador and member of our neighborhood.”