WINNIPEG 鈥� Acquiring a player who can win the majority of his faceoffs should pay dividends for the Winnipeg Jets.
Sean Monahan was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to Winnipeg on Friday for a first-round draft selection in 2024 and a conditional pick in 2027. Monahan, who is also expected to improve the Jets ailing power play, has won 55 per cent of his draws this season.
鈥淵eah, I take pride in it,鈥� said the six-foot-two, 202-pound Brampton, Ont., native. 鈥淎s a centreman, you want to start with the puck. I don鈥檛 know exactly how I鈥檒l be playing or used or anything like that, but anytime taking a faceoff, I鈥檓 trying to win it. So that鈥檚 where my mindset is at.鈥�
The Jets are 28th worst at faceoffs in the NHL with a 46.7 percentage.
鈥淔aceoffs on your specialty teams are huge,鈥� said Jets coach Rick Bowness, who has been lamenting the lack of prowess in the circle all season. 鈥淲hen the (penalty kill) wins the faceoff, it鈥檚 down the ice. 鈥� If you lose the faceoff on the power play, you鈥檙e wasting 30 seconds.聽
"Faceoffs are important. He鈥檚 really strong on that left side. We鈥檙e going to use him in those situations.鈥�
Monahan, who scored 13 goals and 35 points in 49 games with the Habs, is expected to add life to a power play that ranks 24th in the NHL at 15.7 per cent.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good for me. I鈥檓 comfortable in the bumper there,鈥� said the 29-year-old Monahan. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e feeling good and you have that confidence with touches and are obviously surrounded by great players on the power play, you want to get them the puck and be able to relieve pressure. It鈥檚 something that I鈥檝e done kind of my whole career.鈥�
Monahan will take the left-side faceoffs while centre Mark Scheifele will take the right side on power plays, Bowness said.
鈥淪ean's just a guy that's very cerebral,鈥� said Scheifele, who will return from a lower-body injury to play against the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. 鈥淗e knows the places to go. He's good on faceoffs. He does a lot of really good things.聽
"It was a great first look (at practice) today, and I just want to keep that going.鈥�
When not on the power play, Monahan will centre the second line between Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti, Bowness said.
鈥淏oth special players,鈥� said Monahan, who worked out with Perfetti last summer. 鈥淩eally smart. I鈥檓 looking forward to it. You get a few touches today and you鈥檙e excited to see what comes from that.鈥�
Monahan also played against Scheifele in junior and roomed with him at the 2014 world championship.
Monahan, who was traded to Montreal from Calgary in 2022, was excited to come to his third Canadian centre.
鈥淚t鈥檚 special,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s a player, all you want to do is have a chance to play in the playoffs. I think we鈥檙e going to have a good chance here. Playing in a Canadian market makes it that much more special.鈥�
His new teammates welcomed Monahan with open arms.
鈥淲e鈥檝e heard great things from guys who have played with him,鈥� said Jets captain Adam Lowry. 鈥淛ust playing against him, and you look at his career and what he was able to do with the Flames, and with the season he was having this year, we are just really excited to get him.鈥�
Monahan鈥檚 best year was 2018-19 when he scored 34 goals and 48 assists in 78 games with Calgary, and won the Lady Byng Trophy
鈥淪ean is going to be a big piece for this team moving forward,鈥� Bowness said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 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鈥檝e created here, and we鈥檙e thrilled to have him."
Monahan, who signed a one-year contract with Montreal last summer, could become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
NOTE: Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck was given the day off practice after returning from the All-Star Game in Toronto.
聽This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Fed. 4, 2024.
Jim Bender, The Canadian Press
