What to do with Sean Monahan?

BETTING À DAY

At the start of the season, it seemed clear that Sean Monahan would just move to Montreal and that the Canadiens would try to monetize him to the highest bidder. A few months later, nothing is less certain.

The former Calgary Flames has an obvious impact with the Habs, as much on the ice – he is the fourth best scorer in the team behind Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Kirby Dach – only on the outside.

The Flames literally got rid of him, sending a first-round pick with him to Montreal for the Canadiens to accept the last year of his contract, which pays him $6.375 million.

A GOOD LEADER

Finally, we discover a player who is finally healthy and who still has good hockey in his body. We also discover a player who, from the outside, has everything of a first-class veteran to supervise the young nucleus of the Habs.

So, what do we do with him now?

I hear some say that it would be better to trade him as soon as possible since he is not part of the team's long-term plans. I don't entirely agree. Yes, the Canadian's future is called Suzuki, Caufield or Guhle. I understand that.

But it will be important to surround these young wolves with veterans who, in addition to being good mentors, still have the ability to offer good hockey to the Canadiens.

Thursday night in Calgary, young Juraj Slafkovksy played the best game of his young NHL career. Who had he been paired with?

Sean Monahan.

BUT AT WHAT COST? 

It remains the great question, and perhaps even the only one. Will Monahan try to monetize this season with the Canadiens on the free agent market?

At 28, it is obvious that the center player will want to sign one last long-term contract. He will certainly not be interested in agreeing for one or two seasons with the Canadiens.

What will be his salary demands thereafter? I don't think the Canadian is interested in giving him $6 million a year. At the bottom of that, we have to seriously consider making him an important member in the revival of the team. After all, when you look at the center line of the Canadian, it remains thin. There's Suzuki and we still don't know what the long-term plan is with Kirby Dach. For now, he likes the right of the first line and he could stay there if we had an interesting option on the second line.

A Sean Monahan, for example.

GOOD FOR “SLAF” 

Going back to Slafkovsky, I think he would benefit from spending some time with Monahan.

His match Thursday confirmed to many that he has his place in the NHL and that he can have an impact when used with players other than the team's two worst forwards on the fourth line.

Some still send him to Laval and others believe he will represent Slovakia at the World Junior Hockey Championship. For me, it's neither.

Let's keep him in Montreal and continue to build his chemistry with Monahan. Because it can become a good duo for the rest of the season… and the next ones.

– Interview by Kevin Dubé 

Echoes of Bergie 

ALLEN RESPONDS

It's been a week since we wondered at the Canadian if it was not time to entrust the number 1 goalkeeper position to Samuel Montembeault and, Thursday evening, Jake Allen made amends, and not nearly! The Habs goaltender was impeccable, helping the team win 2-1 against the Flames despite outshooting Calgary 46-19. Despite his poor performance in recent weeks, we continued to hammer that Allen was number 1 with the Canadiens. There are things we don't know, that's for sure. Are we trying to swap it? Do we simply not want to shake his confidence because we do not fully trust Montembeault? That, no one knows except the leaders of the Canadian. One thing is certain, however, Thursday's game certainly reassured a lot of people inside.

A DOUBLE RACE 

We've already reached over a quarter of the NHL season and what remains will be exciting on many levels. There will be two races between now and the end of the regular calendar: one between the teams wishing to carve out a place in the playoffs and another for the last place and the best chance of getting their hands on Connor Bedard. Already, several teams are involved in this second fight, including the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and even the Ottawa Senators. In their case, it is certainly not by choice. This is probably the biggest disappointment so far in the NHL. Pierre Dorion has given his vote of confidence to D.J. Smith, but nothing works either in attack or in defense. This needs to change.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE INDUCTEES 

I will end by congratulating the three members who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the QMJHL, June 8, Dave Ezard, Stéphane Richer and Alain Vigneault. In the case of Alain, I had the chance to manage him with the Draveurs de Trois-Rivières. I had made a mega transaction to acquire it from the Hull Olympiques during the 1979-1980 season. He then had a brief professional career before becoming a coach… with the Draveurs in 1986-1987. It was the start of a great adventure for him.