Monahan prepared to play key role in Jets playoff push

WINNIPEG -- Sean Monahan didn't mince words when asked how excited he was following his first practice with the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, when he skated on the second line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti.

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

Sunday's practice came two days after the Jets acquired Monahan in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens for a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

“We’re thrilled for that trade,” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. “Sean is going to be a big piece for this team moving forward. 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, 29, was third on Montreal with 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 49 games this season. His ability to slot in on the second line is something the Jets have arguably been looking for since they traded Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings on June 27.

“That’s clearly the spot we want to give him the look at,” Bowness said. “We have to give him his minutes and we have to give him a really good chance to help our hockey club as much as he can. That’s the spot that we’re going to slide him in. Again, it’s going to take a couple of games to get some chemistry, but we feel very confident with him going in there and that he’s going to do a really good job for us.”

Aside from filling a need in the top six, Bowness added that Monahan will get a look on the power play, which has struggled this season.

Winnipeg is 2-for-32 (6.3 percent) with the man-advantage in its past nine games and tied for the 23rd in the NHL overall at 15.7 percent.

“We’re hoping, that’s the plan, that this is going to give us a better power play, absolutely,” Bowness said. “He’s very comfortable there, and all the scouting we’ve done on him and heard about him, he’s very good in that bumper position.”

Monahan has 16 power-play points (six goals, 10 assists) this season.

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

That's not to say that Sunday's practice was necessarily easy for Monahan, though.

"That’s the most nervous I’ve been for a practice in a long time," he said. "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 (Monahan is from Brampton, Ontario) playing in a Canadian market.

"It’s special. As a player all you want to do is have a chance to play in the playoffs. I think we’re going to have a good chance here. Playing in a Canadian market makes it that much more special.”

Winnipeg (30-12-5) currently sits in third in the Central Division but is third in the NHL in points percentage (.691). As such, Jets captain Adam Lowry sees the addition of Monahan as a vote of confidence in their push for the Stanley Cup.

"It’s nice to know that we have the confidence of ownership, of [general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff], that they believe in this group and they are willing to spend and add to this team," Lowry said.

“We’re really looking forward to having Sean, and it’s great adding him to our room and taking another step forward. That’s what’s so exciting about our group. We’re excited about this, and we think we still have another level to get to."