Sean Monahan
Sixth overall pick by Calgary in 2013; nine seasons with Flames.
Sean Monahan, a Canadian centre, plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL. The Calgary Flames picked him sixth overall in the 2013 draft, and he spent nine seasons there before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens and later the Winnipeg Jets.
Born in Brampton, Ontario, to Cathy and John, Monahan has an older sister, Jacqueline. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School and played minor hockey and lacrosse for the Brampton Excelsiors, where future NBA point guard Tyler Ennis was a teammate.
In junior hockey, Monahan played for the Mississauga Rebels of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. At 15, he captained the Rebels to an OHL Cup title and was named tournament MVP. That 2009–10 season, he put up 46 goals and 40 assists in 47 games, leading to his selection 16th overall by the Ottawa 67's in the OHL Priority Selection Draft. His junior career started slowly after a sprained wrist in training camp, but a strong showing at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge—where he helped Team Ontario win gold—restored his confidence. He finished his first OHL season on the 67's second line with 47 points in 65 games. Later, at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, he scored a goal in the championship game as Canada won its fourth straight gold.
During the 2011–12 season, Monahan played alongside future NHLers Tyler Toffoli, Shane Prince, and Cody Ceci, tying for 15th in league scoring with 78 points. He earned a spot on the OHL's Second All-Star Team and the league's All-Scholastic Team. His third season in Ottawa saw the 67's in a rebuild after three straight division titles. Monahan served as captain, sharing the role with Ceci until Ceci was traded. The team finished last with 16 wins, while Monahan recorded 31 goals and 78 points. He attended Team Canada's selection camp for the 2013 World Juniors but didn't make the team, and he missed ten games due to a suspension for elbowing.
Ranked as a top prospect for the 2013 NHL draft, Monahan was listed fifth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and ninth overall by International Scouting Services. OHL coaches praised his hockey sense, playmaking, stickhandling, and faceoff ability. The Flames selected him sixth overall, and the 18-year-old declared he was ready for the NHL.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1994-10-12
- Birth Place
- Brampton, Ontario, Canada
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 2
- Weight Lb
- 202
- Position
- Centre
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Former Teams
- Calgary Flames / Montreal Canadiens / Winnipeg Jets
- Ntl Team
- CAN
- Draft
- 6th overall
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Monahan played junior hockey with the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), serving as team captain. He was selected sixth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2013 NHL entry draft. He made his NHL debut on October 3, 2013, against the Washington Capitals, and scored his first goal the following night against Sergei Bobrovsky. Monahan became the first junior-eligible player to make the full-time jump to the Flames roster since Kevin LaVallee 33 years prior. He scored his 20th goal in a late-season loss to the Ottawa Senators, becoming the first Flames rookie to score 20 goals since Dion Phaneuf in 2005–06 and first rookie forward since Jarome Iginla in 1996–97. On August 19, 2016, he signed a seven-year, $44.625 million contract extension. He scored his 100th career goal on February 23, 2017, becoming the youngest player in Flames history to reach that milestone (22 years, 134 days). On November 18, 2017, he scored his first career hat-trick. His 2017–18 season was cut short by injuries requiring four surgeries. During the 2021–22 season, he underwent season-ending surgery on his right hip after recording 8 goals and 23 points in 65 games. On August 18, 2022, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He played 25 games for the Canadiens that season due to injuries. On February 2, 2024, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets. On July 1, 2024, he signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Reader's Guide
Sean Monahan's tenure with the Calgary Flames established him as a consistent offensive contributor, scoring at least 20 goals in four consecutive seasons and becoming the youngest player in franchise history to reach 100 career goals. His seven-year, $44.625 million contract extension reflected his value as a core centre. However, his later seasons with the Flames were marked by significant injuries, including a torn labrum and fractured ribs, which he played through before undergoing season-ending hip surgery in 2022. The trade to Montreal in 2022 was made to create salary cap room for the Flames to sign Nazem Kadri. Monahan's time with the Canadiens was limited by injuries, including a broken foot and a resulting groin injury, which he later regretted playing through. After a brief stint with the Winnipeg Jets, he signed a five-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024, intending to reunite with former Calgary teammate Johnny Gaudreau, though Gaudreau was killed by a drunk driver on August 29 of that year.
Did You Know?
- Monahan captained the Mississauga Rebels to an OHL Cup title in 2010 and was named tournament MVP.
- He scored his first career hat-trick on November 18, 2017, against the Philadelphia Flyers.
- He became the fastest player in NHL history to record nine career overtime goals on December 7, 2017.
More in Calgary Flames Players 1-24
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