As far as debuts are concerned, Sean Monahan’s first game with the Jets on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh was to be expected: nothing fancy; nothing extraordinary; just a starting point.
In fact, a full immersion into his new team’s style of play and his ability to find his game with Winnipeg will take some time. But as each shift passes and the 29-year-old gets more acclimated to his Manitoba surroundings, rest assured it will be confirmed the Jets have acquired a solid player and likely the right guy.
Prior to puck drop on Tuesday night, head coach Rick Bowness referred to him as an “upgrade” and “a fit on how we want to play.” He’ll be a mentor to younger players, a contributor to the Jets’ offence and power play and a faceoff improvement, no doubt. but what the Jets are truly getting in Monahan — at least for 35 regular season games and presumably into the playoffs — is a gamer.
Over his career the former Calgary Flames star has battled more health setbacks than the Rolling Stones. And yet like Mick and Keith, he keeps performing. Through 10-plus seasons, he’s incurred eight surgeries. That’s eight times under the knife for hips, groins, wrists and herniated discs. His frequency of being repaired led one media member in Calgary to refer to him as the “bionic man.”
It’s a dedication to the game and a pain threshold to keep playing that is unrivalled, commands respect and outlines the type of passion that will allow him to meld into the Jets dressing room without impediment. The rehab alone from all of that proves that despite the adversity, he wants to play — and most of all, he wants to win.
For Winnipeg, a now-healthy Monahan seems poised to provide exactly what they required: a solid second line centreman with an offensive flair, experience and a solid measure of compete.
No, there was nothing extraordinary about Monahan’s Winnipeg debut Tuesday night. But now knowing a little more about the player overall, it’s easy to realize the guy the Jets acquired last week will most certainly not only be a fit, but a gamer.