Sean Monahan welcomes fresh start with Habs

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Sean Monahan will soon be introducing himself to new teammates, settling in a new city.

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His top priority, however, is to play like his old self.

After a nine-season stint at the Saddledome, Monahan was swapped Thursday to the Montreal Canadiens. The Calgary Flames, needing to clear cap-space to sign Nazem Kadri, offered a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft as incentive for the Habs to absorb the final year of Monahan’s contract. (He will earn US$6.375 million this winter before becoming an unrestricted free agent.)

The 27-year-old Monahan buried 212 goals in the Flaming C logo — the seventh-highest total in franchise history — but tumbled down the depth chart over the past couple of campaigns and is now recovering from his second hip surgery.

“I’m on the ice four times a week right now and it’s been a long time coming for me to feel healthy,” Monahan told Montreal-based media on a Zoom call. “So I’m excited to play hockey again at a high level, and I’m really excited to join the Canadiens.

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“It’s a mix of emotions — I was (in Calgary) for a long time and it becomes your second home. But now, it’s time to turn the chapter. I’m looking for a fresh start. I’m healthy again. I feel great. I’m excited to play the game again. It’s been a while. To fall back in love with the game and be feeling good about yourself, it’s a huge change.”

Monahan arrived in Calgary as the sixth-overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. He totalled 462 points in 656 loggings in Flames silks, many of those as first-line centre.

“You’re not going to find many better kids than him,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving. “You know, this kid played through a lot of things a lot of people don’t play through, and he didn’t say a whole lot … He’d just go out there and play, and that shows you the type of kid he is. So I hope he continues on and plays well for Montreal. They got a great kid.”

wgilbertson@postmedia.com