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.”