Sean Monahan is only 29 years old. He previously played for the Calgary Flames as a center player in one of the first two lines. With Kirby Dach out until the end of the season, Monahan will have no choice but to return to the past.
• Also read: Matheson gets impatient on the power play in practice
• Also read: “Playing for the Canadian is an honor” – Samuel Montembeault
Badger’s absence will trigger a game of dominoes. One of the first to feel the impact will be Monahan. He will swap his third middle chair for the second.
“Personally, I think I can give a lot more,” Monahan said on the eve of the game against the Washington Capitals. I have to play better. But when you lose a guy like Kirby, you have no choice but to rely on the entire team’s reaction. It is an important piece of our puzzle. We lost a good player on the ice but also in the locker room.
In three games since the start of the year, Monahan has scored two points (1 goal, 1 assist). He scored his two points in the same game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
If the past is any indication of the future, CH will face dark days in the absence of Dach. Last year, Nick Suzuki saw a significant drop in production when the team’s second center was in the hospital for an extended period of time.
This second center was named Monahan. A year later, the scenario is no longer the same, but the outcome remains the same.
In his first 14 games last year after Monahan’s foot injury, Suzuki collected just four points (1 goal, 3 assists).
“I don’t think we’ll see the same thing this year,” Monahan predicted. This year it’s different. The boys have more experience, we also have more depth. I know there are several players who will try to improve their game to take responsibility. Nick is still a young center, but he is already one of the good ones.”
The Ovechkin phenomenon
After Connor Bedard and the Hawks, Marc-André Fleury and the Wild, the Habs will open the Bell Center doors to Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.
Ovechkin was left out of the scoring column for the second straight season, the first time in his career, and he will likely have no shortage of motivation.
“It’s crazy to see that he never went two games in a row without a single shot on goal,” Monahan said with a smile. It’s so impressive. He takes several shots, he scores several goals and he has everyone’s respect. He is a special player. He scored a lot of goals in the NHL. You always have to watch out for him when he’s jumping on the ice, especially on the power play.”