Canadiens expected to deal Monahan, honouring previous agreement
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It appears Sean Monahan could be among the first forwards traded ahead of the March 8 trade deadline as the Montreal Canadiens honour a previous agreement with the centre.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports the Canadiens and Monahan agreed when he re-signed in the off-season that he would be dealt to a contender once the deadline drew closer.
"No different from any other year, there are teams looking for centremen and depth at that position – or a top-two or top-three centreman," Dreger explained on Insider Trading. "We're looking at Colorado. We're looking at Boston, the Edmonton Oilers, maybe even the Washington Capitals if they stay in the mix leading up to the trade deadline. Twenty-nine-year-old Sean Monahan of the Montreal Canadiens is healthy, and he is having a decent year.
"You gotta go back to the off-season and when the Canadiens signed the veteran forward. They had an agreement that said we will trade you when the time is right to a contending team or a team of your choice. Nothing has changed there. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Monahan was among the first forwards to get dealt before the deadline."
Monahan was listed at No. 4 on the updated TSN Trade Bait board on Wednesday, just behind teammate Jake Allen. He has 11 goals and 24 points in 40 games this season after being limited to 25 games due to injury last year.
Acquired by Montreal in 2022 from the Calgary Flames along with a first-round pick, Monahan re-signed last summer on a one-year, $1.985 million contract.
The Canadiens dropped to 17-18-6 on the season with Thursday's 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks and sit seven points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.