Sean Monahan landing spots: Top 5 teams that could benefit from trading Habs center

Sean Monahan is a pending free agent and when he signed an extension last year, the Montreal Canadiens front office assured him they would trade him to a contender if the season didn't go as planned.

With the trade deadline less than two months away, and Montreal not in a playoff spot, all signs point to Monahan being traded. It likely won't cost a ton to acquire him and several playoff-bound teams will be interested in him.

5 landing spots for Sean Monahan

#1, Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins will be after a center at the trade deadline as the Bruins didn't truly replace Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci who retired this summer. Boston does have a hole down the middle of the lineup as the Bruins' top three centers are Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha, and John Beecher.

If Boston can slide Sean Monahan in the second or third line, it would make the Bruins that much deeper and a tougher team to play against in the playoffs.

#2, Colorado Avalanche

When the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, they had a ton of depth down the middle with Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri, and J.T. Compher. Kadri and Compher have since departed in free agency and the Avalanche's current second-line center is Ross Colton, while Ryan Johansen who has struggled this season, is on the third-line.

Colton would be a perfect third-line center, as he was in Tampa Bay, so adding Sean Monahan makes sense. Monahan can be what Colorado was hoping Johansen would be and would add some much-needed depth for the Avs down the middle of the ice.

#3, Winnipeg Jets

The Winnipeg Jets have been a surprise team this season and will be buyers at the trade deadline.

Winnipeg has a great forward group but could improve down the middle and Sean Monahan could come in and play anywhere in the lineup. Also, the Jets' faceoff percentage is 46.8% which is the lowest in the NHL, while Monahan's faceoff percentage is 57.7 which sits ninth in the NHL among players with 100 or more draws taken.

Monahan can come in and take key defensive faceoffs and also add some scoring as well.

#4, Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers have turned their season around and will be buyers at the trade deadline.

With Stuart Skinner playing well, goaltending is no longer a massive need for Edmonton and could look to add Sean Monahan instead. Monahan can come in and be the Oilers' third-line center while playing a defensive role who can also chip in with some scoring, which Edmonton has missed from the bottom six.

#5, New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup but could use some help at the trade deadline.

New York has two great centers with Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trochek but acquiring Sean Monahan will make them that much deeper. Monahan can be the Rangers' third-line center while Nick Bonino would become the fourth-line center, which arguably would be the best center group in the NHL.