Upcoming significant transaction involving Sean Monahan and the Jets? Kent Hughes will have the chance to make a big impact

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David St-Jean
January 1, 2024 (12:40)

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It's no secret that Sean Monahan has garnered significant interest from several NHL teams. One could say that Kent Hughes has made a wise move by offering him a contract extension, hoping he stays healthy.

According to Chris Johnson, the Winnipeg Jets could benefit greatly from acquiring the Canadiens' center, and the price would be right. Here are his explanations:

"Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has always shown a willingness to add rentals at the deadline when his teams have given him a compelling reason to do so. This looks like one of those years in Winnipeg. Monahan would bolster the spine of a Jets team with a chance to make noise in the Central Division, and the cost�both in terms of assets and his $2 million cap hit�shouldn't be too high."

- Chris Johnston

Johnson believes that the Jets could land Monahan without paying too much. It will depend on the offers, but for now, a first-round pick seems to be the most likely scenario.

What would be even more significant is that Kent Hughes would still have the option to sign Monahan as a free agent on July 1st. That would be a home run.

The veteran has been a significant help to the Canadiens since his arrival, and let's not forget that the Canadiens' GM received an additional first-round pick to take on his contract.

Imagine if Hughes secures another good pick, and Montreal re-signs him this summer. It would be somewhat similar to Tomas Plekanec a few years ago when he was traded to the Maple Leafs. The big difference is that Pleky was at the end of his career, whereas Monahan still has a lot of excellent hockey ahead of him.