CALGARY | You don’t spend nine years of your life in a place without leaving it with a pang in your heart. And often, when you set foot there for the first time, a multitude of memories come to the surface, creating a surge of emotions that is difficult to hide.
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This is a bit of what Sean Monahan experienced Thursday noon when he spoke to the media as part of his return to Calgary.
In perfect control of the situation, the Canadian forward let out a slight tremolo when a colleague from the Alberta capital asked him what message he wanted to leave Flames fans.
“Thank you, simply. The fans supported me from day one. I came here when I was 18. It’s a special place for me. I enjoyed every moment spent here,” he said, his eyes moist.
At the end of this press briefing, held exceptionally in the interview room of the Flames, Monahan shook hands with each of the Calgary journalists, even offering hugs to some of them.
A standing ovation
In the evening, those who encouraged him during the first 656 games of his career rose to give him a nice ovation at the end of the short tribute video presented on the scoreboard. Monahan did not fail to greet them.
At that time, he had already contributed to the Canadian’s good start to the game. Sent into the fray from the start, Monahan was behind Juraj Slafkovsky’s goal from the 13the second of play by forcing goalkeeper Jacob Markstrom into a bad outing.
With a therapy boot
Moreover, one can wonder if the reunion did not come close to falling into the water. Monahan showed up at the Saddledome with his right foot encased in a therapy boot. Earlier in the day, he had left morning training several minutes before his teammates. A sequence of events that follows his withdrawal from Wednesday’s session in favor of a day of treatments.
So it’s safe to say that the romance between Monahan, who the Flames selected sixth overall in 2013, and the city of Calgary has been solid considering the 28-year-old Ontarian has had to manage his large share of injuries.
Photo: AFP
Sean Monahan caused the risky exit of goaltender Jacob Markstrom, Thursday, in the first period, at the Saddledome in Calgary.
In agony at every game
At the top of the list are recurring hip injuries that forced him to undergo two surgeries: the first in the spring of 2021 and the second last April.
But before realizing that he could not continue his career without going on the operating table, Monahan endured excruciating pain.
“He couldn’t even stay seated for more than a minute on the plane, it hurt him so much,” said Milan Lucic, his teammate for three seasons.
We can, without fear of being wrong, argue that Monahan played most of his 50 games in the 2020-2021 season and his 65 games in the following campaign with pretty bad hips.
Obviously, his stats suffered. In those two seasons, he only scored 51 points, including 18 goals. However, it seems his desire to win was never affected.
“People don’t see how hard he worked to be ready. Often he was in agony and he didn’t even complain, ”said Lucic.
Pleasant again
Despite the daily pain he had to endure, Monahan never thought of hanging up his skates.
“It was sometimes difficult to lie down, walk or do daily activities. It was a long road and it was not pleasant, but I never thought it would be the end.
“I’m back healthy and loving hockey again. It’s a completely different feeling to come to the arena and not worry about the pain and your body,” he added, not to mention the injury that seems to be afflicting him right now.
Good start to the season
And it is the Habs who benefit from it. With 15 points in 23 games (before the end of Thursday night’s game), Monahan is heading for a harvest of 52 points.
What would be his most productive campaign since 2018-19, when he blacked out the scoresheet 82 times.