Sean Monahan Is The Feel-Good Hockey Story We All Need

It is difficult to talk about anything Sean Monahan has done so far this season without first mentioning Johnny Gaudreau.

The longtime friends spent nine seasons together in Calgary. During that time, Monahan played his best hockey. They were best friends on and off the ice. With Gaudreau on his left wing, Monahan became a three-time 30-goal scorer. That chemistry is something that Monahan has been searching for ever since Gaudreau left to play for Columbus.

So when Monahan became a free agent this summer, a large part of his choice to sign a five-year contract with the Blue Jackets was so that he could reunite with his longtime linemate and friend. Those plans took a tragic turn when Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed by an alleged drunk driver in August. But Gaudreau is not forgotten while Monahan leads the team in goal-scoring with five goals.

When Monahan scored on opening night — when Gaudreau’s No. 13 banner was raised to the rafters at Nationwide Arena — the 30-year-old center raised his glove high above his head in a nod to his fallen friend. Since then, Monahan’s looking like he’s on his way to a redemption season after bouncing back last year on the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets.

Monahan, who scored twice in Columbus’ 6-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night, now has nine points in eight games. It’s early, but Monahan looks like the Monahan who once scored 34 goals and 82 points while playing alongside Gaudreau, who had 36 goals and 99 points, in 2018-19.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets haven’t been the NHL’s worst team. As of Tuesday morning, they were tied for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

What a feel-good story this has been for Monahan — and the NHL, in general.

Something is going on in Columbus. Something that can’t be explained by a new coach or the unexpected play of their prospects. You don’t have to be a fan of the Blue Jackets to want to root for them to have a great season. The same goes for Monahan, who could be an early favorite for the Bill Masterton Trophy that rewards “perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication.”

After all, who would have forgiven Monahan if he didn’t want to — or couldn’t — play the beginning of the season? Monahan had arranged to move into the same Columbus neighborhood as Gaudreau’s family. The plan was for them to share dressing room stalls. That’s heart-wrenching.

“I am really looking forward to being teammates with Johnny again,” Monahan told NHLPA.com after signing with the Blue Jackets. “Johnny (who signed a seven-year, $68.25-million contract with Columbus as a free agent in 2022) is motivated to have a big season and be a huge part of the team, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to reignite the chemistry we had for close to a decade. He is an amazing teammate, person and friend. I’m looking forward to these next five years.”

These next five years are not going to be easy for Monahan. The fact that he is not just playing but playing at a level we haven’t seen in a while is remarkable. A year ago, he combined for 26 goals and 59 points with Montreal and Winnipeg after seeing his previous two seasons shortened by injury. Nearly four weeks into this season, he is now on pace for 51 goals and 92 points.

But he’s not doing it alone.

Kirill Marchenko has four goals and 11 points, while Yegor Chinakhov has three goals and eight points.

All in all, it is a welcome sight to see in what has been a difficult couple of months for the team and the hockey world.