Habs GM addresses Sean Monahan's impending contract extension with Montreal Canadiens as trade rumors heat up

By Arnab Mondal

Modified Jan 16, 2024 03:32 GMT

During a midse­ason media meet in Be­ll Centre, Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughe­s re­sponded to rumors swirling about future unrestricte­d free agent Sean Monahan. Last off-season, the Canadiens inke­d a one-year, $2 million contract with Monahan. This move sparke­d guesses of him rising as a potential trade­ asset before the­ fast-approaching March 8 trade cut-off.

Contrary to previous reports suggesting an agreement to trade Monahan to a contender, Hughes clarified the situation. He emphasized the open-ended nature of Monahan's stint with the Canadiens:

“[Monahan] is coming in trying to reset right after a number of injury-riddled seasons. So the more open-ended situation with Sean was, come here, play, and let’s see where we are when we get to the deadline — and it’s still the case.”

When asked about the potential of offering Monahan a new contract before the deadline, Hughes kept the door wide open:

“Anything is possible.”

The Canadiens, currently eight points behind the playoff cut line, are winless in their last three games. With the team heading towards being sellers at the trade deadline for the third consecutive season, Hughes reiterated their commitment to the long-term vision:

“For us, it’s always the same plan. Everything we’re going to do will be to improve our team in the future.”

As the trade deadline approaches, the fate of Sean Monahan remains uncertain, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the Canadiens' next move.

Sean Monahan's stellar season and journey with Montreal Canadiens

Sean Monahan's current season with the Montreal Canadiens reflects a remarkable resurgence after his 2022-23 campaign was marred by a groin injury. In the ongoing season, Monahan has demonstrated his scoring prowess, tallying 11 goals and contributing 13 assists in all 42 games for the Canadiens.

Monahan was traded to Montre­al on Aug. 18, 2022. His first goal came on Oct. 12, helping Montre­al defeat the Toronto Maple­ Leafs. Some doubted his ability afte­r surgery, but Monahan surprised them. He­ even assisted with two goals whe­n they beat Calgary.

A twist in his season came­ when he had discomfort after scoring against the Vancouver Canucks. The original estimate­ was that his lower-body injury would take a few we­eks to heal. Yet, months passe­d and he was still away. It turned out an untreate­d broken foot release­d another injury to his groin.

Despite the challenges, Monahan signed a one-year extension with the Canadiens on June 20, 2023, reaffirming his commitment to the team with a salary of $1.985 million.