Monahan finds his stride with Winnipeg Jets, eyes Calgary clash next

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This article was published 18/02/2024 (596 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY – Sean Monahan is back in the city where his NHL career began. And it’s a safe bet the new Winnipeg Jets forward, faced with familiar surroundings, is feeling a lot more like himself today.

A big goal on Saturday night in Vancouver got the proverbial monkey off the veteran’s back. Not that the calm, cool and collected Monahan would admit to feeling any added pressure after coming up empty in his first four outings since being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a first-round draft pick.

“No. Part of my job is to produce, be a good player and help the team win, so you try not to think about it, really, and just play your game,” Monahan, 29, told the Free Press at Rogers Arena.

“I know I’m going to get looks and you want to make them count.”

He certainly did against the Canucks, beating Thatcher Demko from the slot midway through the second period to give the Jets a 2-1 lead at the time in a game they’d go on to win 4-2, taking out the NHL.s No. 1 team to improve to 33-14-5 on the season.

Monahan will now try to keep the good times going on Monday afternoon as the Jets conclude this quick two-game road trip against the Flames (3 p.m. CT, TSN3), who drafted him sixth-overall in 2013 and were his home for the first 656 regular-season games of his career.

“A big goal at a big time,” is how Mark Scheifele described Monahan’s latest performance. “You know, obviously he’s had his chances but that was being in the right spot. Gabe (Vilardi) made a great pass there. So it was awesome.”

When Monahan arrived in Winnipeg, he’d put up 11 points over his past seven games with Montreal. But keeping that rolling is easier said than done, especially when getting used to new teammates and systems.

A little patience has been required for all parties.

Now, some progress, especially on the power play which began Saturday in a horrible 0-for-21 rut and ended up going 2-for-4, with Vilardi and then Monahan finding the back of the net on consecutive man advantages.

“We’ve been working at it. I thought we’ve had a few looks, but we’re starting to get some chemistry now and starting to be able to read off the guys, so I think things are going to start clicking here,” said Monahan.

One area Monahan has been producing since he arrived is in the faceoff circle. He’s gone 43-for-72 in his first five games, a 60 per cent success rate that is, far and away, the best on the team.

The Jets had only scored four goals in Monahan’s first four games, so it was a welcome development to match that number in Game No. 5. Monahan said he knows the offence will come given all the talent around him. He’s been particularly impressed by Winnipeg’s attention to defensive detail.

“You feel the confidence. There’s quite a bit of experience in the locker room and a veteran coach,” he said of being comfortable playing in low-scoring, tight-checking games. “You’ve got to stick with it. Play within your structure and play to your full potential.”

The next step for the Jets will be to try and get Monahan and his linemates going at even strength. He’s currently playing with Cole Perfetti and Nikolaj Ehlers, and that trio didn’t generate a whole lot at five-on-five against the Canucks.

Coach Rick Bowness shorted his bench in the third period, with Perfetti and Ehlers pretty much stapled to it.

Perfetti played just 10:52 in the game, one of the lowest totals of his career, as he’s now gone nine games without a point and has just one assist in the last dozen outings. Ehlers had only 12:10 of ice time and now has just one assist in the last seven games.

Fortunately for the Jets, the top line of Scheifele (one goal, three assists), Vilardi (two goals, one assist) and Kyle Connor (two assists) carried the way, along with the power play.

The Jets were set to practice on Sunday, but Bowness elected to give his team some extra rest ahead of facing the Flames, then flying back to Winnipeg on Monday night and hosting the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at Canada Life Centre (7 p.m., TSN3).

Expect Connor Hellebuyck and Laurent Brossoit to split those two, but it’s not clear in what order. Typically, the backup would play the second game, but you wonder if the Jets will consider saving Helelbuyck for the Central Division clash with a heated rival.

The 25-25-5 Flames are struggling to stay in the playoff race, currently five points out of the final Western Conference wildcard spot. They’ve dropped three straight games in regulation, including consecutive home losses to the San Jose Sharks (6-3) and Detroit Red Wings (5-0).

There’s no morning skate on Monday, but Bowness will speak about the lineup a couple hours before puck drop.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg