Winnipeg a sweet landing spot

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This article was published 04/02/2024 (613 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Sean Monahan was soaking up the sun in south Florida last week when his phone began blowing up with calls and text messages.

News he was headed to Winnipeg as the newest member of the Jets was music to his ears.

“Obviously, a great place to land,” Monahan said Sunday after his first skate with the hockey club. “Coming to Winnipeg is really exciting. A great team and a lot of great people.”

Monahan, 29, knew a change of scenery was coming. He was one of of the top centres on the NHL trade block given his status as a pending unrestricted free agent playing for a Montreal Canadiens team that is out of the playoff race and looking to recoup assets as part of a rebuild.

Enter the Jets, who offered up a first-round draft pick for the Ontario product — along with a conditional third-round pick should they win the Stanley Cup this spring — with the hopes of filling several holes in the lineup.

“As a player all you want to do is have a chance to play in the playoffs,” Monahan said of joining ateam that currently sits first in the Central Division, second in the Western Conference and third in the NHL based on win percentage.

“I think we’re going to have a good chance here. Playing in a Canadian market makes it that much more special.”

Monahan, the sixth-overall draft pick from 2013 who is now veteran of 730 career NHL games said joining the Jets had him feeling something on Sunday that he hasn’t experienced in quite a while.

“That’s the most nervous I’ve been for a practice in a long time,” he confessed.

“You’re coming in with new people and a new facility and getting to know everything. Driving here I was nervous, and before I stepped on the ice I was nervous. That’s a good feeling. It’s a great place to play. I’ve loved every time I’ve been in Winnipeg and the excitement of being a Canadian kid playing in a Canadian market.”

He was thrilled to look around and see that coach Rick Bowness had him playing on a second line between Cole Perfetti and Nikolaj Ehlers.

“Big time. Both special players. Really smart. I’m looking forward to it,” said Monahan. “You get a few touches and you’re excited to see what comes from that.”

When time came for special teams work, Monahan was on the top power play unit along with Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Gabe Vilardi and Josh Morrissey.

“I’m comfortable in the bumper there. When you’re feeling good and you have that confidence with touches and obviously surrounded by great players on the power play, you want to get them the puck and be able to relieve pressure,” said Monahan. “It’s something that I’ve done kind of my whole career.”

Monahan should provide a boost in multiple ways, including the power play, faceoffs and getting even more balance in the lineup as shown by Vlad Namestnikov now dropping down to centre a potentially potent fourth line with Alex Iafallo and Morgan Barron.

“He’s going to add a lot of versatility to our team. He’s gonna be a big boost for us. We’ve talked all year that this team’s depth is critical to our success and he adds to that,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry.

“Once we saw Vancouver load up and get (Elias) Lindholm, it’s nice that — not that it’s an arms race or anything like that, but — it’s nice to know that we have the confidence of ownership, of Chevy, that they believe in this group and they are willing to spend and add to this team. We’re really looking forward to having Sean and it’s great adding him to our room and taking another step forward.”

Monahan’s 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) this season would have him tied for second in scoring on the Jets (with Ehlers), six points behind Scheifele. His six power play goals would lead the club.

“He’s a great fit for us from everything we hear and checked on him… So he will fit right into the culture that we’ve created here and we’re thrilled to have him.”– Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness

“We’re thrilled for that trade. Sean is going to be a big piece for this team moving forward,” said Bowness. “He’s a great fit for us from everything we hear and checked on him. His character, his work habits, being a really good teammate. So he will fit right into the culture that we’ve created here and we’re thrilled to have him.”

Monahan has skated in the offseason with Perfetti during previous summers, and has known Scheifele for more than a decade as they frequently played each other in the Ontario Hockey League.

“Funny thing is we roomed together ten years ago world championships in Belarus so its kind of wild, a wild ride since then,” said Scheifele.

“Played against each other in juniors, you know he was a (Ottawa) 67’s guy, he was always a guy I hated playing against. Obviously a fantastic hockey player. We are lucky to have him and obviously a great move by Chevy (general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff) there.”

Monahan will make his Jets debut on Tuesday night as they begin a two-game road trip in Pittsburgh against the Penguins. By getting traded five weeks before the March 8 deadline, there’s plenty of additional runway to get settled in his new hockey home.

“It’s huge. You get traded close to March and time flies by and next thing you know the playoffs are starting,” he said.

“Get to know the city, get comfortable, move into a place and make it feel like home. Guys have already been doing that for me here. I think it goes a long way being here earlier.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg