Sean Monahan looking forward to fresh start with Canadiens

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Big centre, who was acquired by Montreal along with a first-round draft pick, has had two recent hip surgeries but says he’s healthy now.

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Pat Hickey  •  Montreal Gazette “My goal is to show up at camp and be ready to go from Day 1,” new Canadien Sean Monahan said Thursday night. Photo by AL CHAREST /Postmedia News Article content

Sean Monahan says he’s looking forward to starting a new chapter in his career with the Canadiens.

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“I’ve got a lot to prove and I want to prove it to myself,” Monahan said in a Zoom call hours after the Calgary Flames traded him to Montreal. “I know I’m a great player. It’s been a rocky road. I feel like myself again. I’m enjoying the game.”

Monahan didn’t enjoy the game the past two seasons. The sixth overall choice in the 2013 draft played through hip injuries that required surgery in 2021 and again this past April.

“When you have the kind of injuries I’ve had, they take a toll,” Monahan said. “Just to feel good again, to be on the ice, pushing yourself.

“It’s a grind.” he added. “This summer was a big one for me. I got the surgery earlier than the year before. I put in a lot of work this summer. Right now, I’m on the ice four times a week.”

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Monahan said he experienced problems earlier in his career, but played through them.

“I probably could have had it fixed a long time ago, but it was my personal choice to play through it,” he said. “It finally took a toll and I prioritized myself in getting it fixed and getting myself back together. It’s a good feeling and I’m back to high-level hockey again.”

Monahan has some friends on the team. He played with Paul Byron in Calgary and trains on a daily base with Jake Evans, who may have to move to the wing to make room for Monahan at centre. He said most of his new teammates have reached out to him and he’s anxious to meet them at training camp.

General manger Kent Hughes said he didn’t know whether Monahan would be ready for the first game of the season, but Monahan was cautiously optimistic

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“My goal is to show up at camp and be ready to go from Day 1,” he said. “If there are things I’m feeling that are lingering, I don’t want any setbacks. I’ve done that many times and gone with it, but I’m going to try to be 100-per-cent healthy and feel good mentally and have a good season for the Montreal Canadiens.

In addition to Monahan, the Canadiens received a first-round draft choice in return for future considerations. The conditions attached to the draft pick are complicated, but Montreal will get one of the following: Calgary’s choice in 2024, 2025 or 2026 or Florida’s choice in 2025 or 2026. They could also get Calgary’s third-rounder in 2025 or a fourth-rounder in 2026.

phickey@postmedia.com

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