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Five potential landing spots for Sean Monahan

September 8, 2020, 10:26 AM ET [99 Comments]
Todd Cordell
Calgary Flames Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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The Calgary Flames are almost certainly going to shake up the core of their roster this off-season. It’s just reality after running it back so many times with little to no (playoff) success.

It’d be one thing if the Flames were consistently outplaying opponents and being undone by goaltending or an unlucky bounce. That hasn’t been the case, which means it is time for some change.

One big one I could see GM Brad Treliving making: trading Sean Monahan. He certainly has his faults but he’s also a very strong goal scorer and will by no means be forced out the door.

I think Treliving would move him *if* the right deal came along, though, and these teams strike me as me as the most likely to offer it.

Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since the Stone Age and they’re desperate for more firepower up front – particularly down the middle. I mean, they haven’t had two top-6 centers since *ducks* Ryan O’Reilly.

At any rate, they want to turn things around in Buffalo sooner than later. I think the Sabres may be aggressive in adding – especially if they can get their hands on an impactful player who is still young – and Monahan could peak their interest. At least he should.

Flawed player, etc, etc. but the Sabres rank 28th in goals over the last three seasons and Monahan has averaged 32 per 82 in that time. He can fill the net.

The Sabres need more players like him, and I think they’d be willing to pay up to get one.

They don’t have any natural center replacements for Calgary so they would need to a) find a center elsewhere or; b) shift Elias Lindholm to the middle.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens have a big time finishing problem. That has been the case for a while now. They’re consistently able to out-shoot and out-chance opponents, yet they can’t seem to rise up from the middle of the pack in the standings. A lack of shooting talent is perhaps the biggest reason why.

Montreal ranked 3rd in Corsi For% and 4th in Expected Goals For% from 2017-20. Generating chances, and controlling the run of play, was not an issue for them. Scoring was. Despite ranking 5th in chances during that window, they slotted 17th in goals because they converted on only 7.33% of their shots (26th).

Again, Monahan is not somebody who is going to drive play or provide ace defense against the opposing team’s best players. What he will do, though, is finish chances at a high clip around the net.

That’s what the Canadiens need.

Minnesota Wild

Their center situation is, in a word, disgusting. Eric Staal can still play but he will be 36 before suiting up again. Mikko Koivu might be heading for retirement. Alex Galchenyuk and Victor Rask are mediocre bottom-6ers at their best. Joel Eriksson Ek looks like a fairly solid player but, yeah, there is not much there.

The Wild are almost always searching for scoring and center is their biggest area of weakness. I think GM Bill Guerin will be looking to address that this off-season, and Monahan is a guy who could peak their interest.

With seemingly every Flames defenseman in need of a new contract, the Wild – a team with an abundance of defenders (Matt Dumba may be on the market) – strike me as a natural trade partner.

Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg is looking for two things: a top-4 defender, and a top-6 center. As such, they’ll probably be calling if Monahan is made available.

I think him slotting in as the 2C behind Mark Scheifele could help mask some of his warts. I also think getting a center who can score goals consistently will be a priority if it is going to cost them a winger like Nik Ehlers.

I personally believe Ehlers is the much better player – he is elite in transition, drives possession, is more efficient at 5v5, etc. – but Monahan has the goal scoring label and plays the premium position.

If Calgary is going to trade Monahan, they’d like to do so in a Monahan-for-Ehlers type of trade; a deal where two young, productive players under contract change hands.

Arizona Coyotes

The Coyotes can not score goals. At all. They rank 29th in scoring over the last three seasons and sit dead last in shooting percentage during that time.

A quickly declining Phil Kessel didn’t change that, and Taylor Hall’s tenure with the team could be very short. If that’s the case, they’ll no doubt be looking for more offense this off-season.

Arizona will have to move some salary to make a Monahan deal work but there are some creative possibilities.

For one, Oliver Ekman-Larsson is rumored to be available. His game has really dropped the last couple of years so I’d stay away from him and his contract. With that said, he has the reputation to catch a GM’s attention and he’s young enough that you *should* be able to salvage his game and still get some good years out of him.

Darcy Kuemper (making $4.5 million for two more seasons) is a very intriguing possibility given Calgary’s need for a quality starter they can rely on.

So, too, is Jakob Chychrun, although I think the Coyotes would be hesitant to deal him.

Nevertheless, Arizona is a team with several pieces that could catch the eye of Treliving.

info via NaturalStatTrick.com and CapFriendly.com

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