After a stellar performance against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night, many expected a solid follow-up from the Montreal Canadiens in the continuation of their desert tour. It was not to be, as the Arizona Coyotes mostly dominated in what they continue to insist on calling an NHL arena, taking the game 3-2 in regulation and sending the Habs on their way to Missouri. Unfortunately, they’ll head there with few positive takeaways from Thursday night’s effort.
Save of course the play of Sean Monahan, who is now on pace for around 50 goals this season.
Monahan’s six goals are good for the team lead, and he has been their most consistently effective forward through their 10 games. The one thing you can count on, even in games where the team looks disjointed, is that he will go out there and make some impressive plays. If he can continue even close to his current pace, it opens up some very interesting options for the organization.
What exactly the future holds for Monahan could depend greatly on where the Canadiens stand in the final weeks before the trade deadline. If they’re well out of a playoff spot, it would be surprising if he isn’t dealt to a contender. The return could be quite juicy given his play, and the incredible value his AAV of less than $2 million provides. It doesn’t seem crazy to suggest he could fetch them another first-round pick, to go along with the one they acquired just for being willing to have him on the roster in the first place.
In the unlikely event that the Habs remain in the playoff race when the time comes, he’d be indispensable not only in making that so, but in any success thereafter. There are even those in the fan base who have discussed the possibility of re-signing him and looking to carve out a spot for him moving forward in the rebuild.
The signs mostly point to Kent Hughes taking the fat wad of cash he found and running, but the fact that there is even a debate about whether this should happen is a testament to how good Monahan is playing right now. He’s been incredible, and as long as he keeps this up, he’s making seemingly unwatchable games slightly more palatable.
He’s also likely drawing plenty of interest from teams better positioned to give him a shot at Lord Stanley’s mug.
Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll be back on Saturday when the Habs take on the St. Louis Blues.
