Canadiens sign Sean Monahan to one-year extension

The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Sean Monahan to a one-year contract extension worth $1.985 million.

The 28-year-old was in the final year of a seven-year contract with a $6.375 million cap hit. He originally signed it in 2016 while with Calgary and was set to become a UFA this summer.

Monahan had a solid season with the Canadiens, putting up six goals and 17 points in 25 games. He missed the final 57 games with a groin injury, which resulted in surgery in early April. He has struggled to stay healthy this season, which started off slow after hip surgery at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Monahan had a strong start to his career, reaching the 60-point mark in just his second season. He had a career-high 34 goals and 82 points in 2018-19, making him one of the most dangerous players on the Flames. He hasn’t managed to come close to 30 goals again, however, and his highest output since was a 48-point season in 2019-20.

If the 2013 first-round pick can stay healthy, he can still play some solid hockey. That’s a tall order, though.

The deal gives the Canadiens some good value, while Monahan can prove that he still has enough in the tank. The Canadiens currently sit at $1.259 million over the cap, according to CapFriendly, but are expected to put Carey Price and his $10.5 million cap hit back on long-term injured reserve. Of all the pending free agents, the most interesting will be RFA Denis Gurianov, who, according to reports, isn’t expected to receive a qualifying offer. The team could look to still sign him to an inexpensive deal.

The Canadiens finished 15th in the Eastern Conference this year, nine points ahead of Columbus. The club has the fifth overall pick for the 2023 NHL Draft after selecting first overall in 2022.