^ This was most Avs fans opinions. Lehkonen was a fine addition though they weren't keen on the price. Especially not the price Habs fans on here wanted....and it's still a no to SM.

I don’t really agree. It looks like he’s regressing every year. The Panthers don’t have the time to wait for him because their window is now, just like the Avalanche with Newhook. In a re-draft I’d take Byfield, Stützle, Sanderson, Raymond, Perfetti, Jarvis and others before him.

I think this would be an extremely favorable market for someone like Monahan. Even conceding his injury history, he is not a player that puts any contending team over the edge. So far this year, he has 4 primary points at 5v5 in 27 games played. He has limited penalty kill usage and has extremely elevated power play numbers that are both not sustainable or enough to be a top-four forward on a contending team to take their position. He has face-off upside but contending team is going to move that much of a premium for someone like him.

Retained salary on rentals doesn't really have a lot of marginal benefit to make a player worth more in the market. It's pretty much a prerequisite since a majority of contending teams are up to the cap ceiling.

I see where you are coming from, but I don't agree.

It's a probable late 2nd two drafts from now, and just the 5th best asset under 23 on the 25th pipeline.

Only 4 players under $2M have more points than Monahan this season.
1. B. Hagel (extended 8x$6.5M)
2. E. Tolvanen (RFA)
3. D. Sprong (UFA)
4. O. Tippett (RFA).

So basically, in terms of rental, only D. Sprong is ahead. J. van Riemsdyk, M. Carcone, S. Noesen are tied. So far, only Carcone plays for a team that'll likely be sellers. Of the whole group, Monahan is the only player of the group with the ability to play center.

I agree that his PP to ES points ratio is unimpressive, but one of the key reasons is his ES usage. He's one of the very few forwards on MTL's roster who can generate something on his own - others being Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky. The whole strategy so far this year has been to separate Monahan from the rest at even-strength to spark those who can't generate anything.

Monahan's linemates with at least 50 minutes together at 5v5:
1. T. Pearson (172 minutes) 8 pts in 27 gp
2. B. Gallagher (157 minutes) 10 pts in 27 gp
3. J. Anderson (112 minutes) 5 pts in 27 gp
4. J. Evans (54 minutes) 8 pts in 27 gp

I believe any team willing to trade for Monahan is doing so with the hopes of using him in the top 6, based on his ability to play all three forward positions. I think he'll be more than fine when used with proper offensive players, not just rejects on a basement team as he is actually.

It really depends on how much you value Olausson but that Athletic article also had Sean Behrens as "someone who might play NHL games" and I'd personally rate him far higher on the u23 list. I think the draft pick being in 2026 is more valuable because COL could be out of contending at that point with limited prospects coming up the pipeline and some of their forwards needing contracts (RyJo, Mikko, etc.)

Of the four players you listed that had more points than Monahan under $2M, their 5v5 production makes up, on average, ~79% of their total points between 5v5 and the PP. Monahan, only has 43% of his production derived from his 5v5 performance. Colorado heavily relies on their top-PP to basically play the entire 2 minutes and I don't see him adding so much more value over the guys currently on it.

If you also look at how Pearson and Gallagher have played with and without Monahan, they have played far better without him than with him. Pearson sees a tremendous surge in expected results (39.90 xGF% ---> 57.33 xGF%), while also having less favorable deployment (18.10 O-Zone FO / 60 ---> 10.79 O-Zone FO /60). Same deal with Gallagher, (49.45 xGF% ---> 59.79 xGF%) with slightly less favorable deployment. The TOI with and without Monahan is close as well, so it's a pretty even sample size.

Ultimately, I really don't think contending teams are going to have Monahan in their top-six barring injuries. Yes, he is useful and can play all positions and win faceoffs, but that is a rather high price to pay for someone who does not have great results at 5v5 and won't push anyone out of their lineup spot, as well has having no cost certainty or RFA status.