Canadiens Rumors: Central Division Team Eyeing Sean Monahan

The Colorado Avalanche have emerged as contenders in the pursuit of Montreal Canadiens' center, Sean Monahan, as they aim to bolster their lineup for a potential deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs, according to The Denver Post's Mark Kiszla and NHL Trade Rumor.com's Rob Ellis.

General Manager Chris MacFarland is actively exploring avenues to address the team's need for a second-line center, and Monahan has become a prime candidate on their radar.

A solid pass from Josh Anderson and Sean Monahan scores his first goal in 15 games to put the Canadiens on top! 👏 pic.twitter.com/WRbIN403mz
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 5, 2023

This move is seen as a strategic step to elevate the Avalanche's competitiveness and navigate their salary cap constraints creatively.

Monahan's performance during the 2023-2024 season has made him a standout prospect for the Avalanche.

While there may be room for improvement in his defensive game, his relatively modest salary cap hit of $1,985,000 for the season aligns well with the Avalanche's financial considerations.

Sean Monahan with a 2 goal game. The Habs are all over the Kraken so far tonight. The Slafkovsky end to end rush set up the powerplay opportunity and the Habs make the Kraken pay. #SeaKraken #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/zD1zbWPSdT
— Michael Pagani (@MichaelPagani) December 5, 2023

So far this season, the 29-year-old has scored eight goals and 16 total points across the first 27 games played.

The Canadiens' potential willingness to retain a portion of Monahan's salary further enhances the feasibility of this trade.

If realized, the addition of Sean Monahan could provide the Avalanche with another big piece they need to fortify their center depth and significantly bolster their prospects for a successful playoff campaign. Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports