Last February, Kent Hughes was praised as a genius for trading Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets, securing two first-round picks in the process. However, less than a year later, the Canadiens are feeling the absence of the veteran forward. While they did acquire the promising Michael Hage using the Jets’ pick, Monahan’s leadership is greatly missed, especially at the beginning of this season. TVA Sports emphasizes that the Canadiens truly miss his contributions, highlighting not just his offensive skills but also his strong defensive play and crucial faceoff ability. The team’s record was notably better with Monahan last year, finishing at 20-21-8, but has struggled to a 14-22-9 record without him.
Compounding the situation, Monahan has started strong with the Columbus Blue Jackets, accumulating 11 points, including 6 goals, in his first 12 games, defying predictions of a decline. His faceoff success rate of 52.1% would place him second among the current Canadiens roster. Had he stayed, Monahan could have eased the pressure on Kirby Dach, allowing him to settle in on the wing rather than in a central role, as they are now facing lineup adjustments.
Despite losing Monahan, Hughes managed to draft a talented player in Hage, who is thriving with the Michigan Wolverines, showing promise with his 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) in 7 games. Many believe Hage could be a more offensively skilled version of Philip Danault. Ultimately, while time will tell if Hage will develop into an NHL player, the decision to trade Monahan will remain under scrutiny if Hage doesn’t pan out, especially since Monahan had a positive impact on young players.
