Sean Monahan Bio
Sean Monahan (born October 12, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected sixth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Monahan became one of the franchise’s most reliable two-way centres during nine seasons in Calgary before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in 2022. After a brief stint with the Winnipeg Jets in 2024, he signed a long-term contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent.
Known for his faceoff ability, playmaking and intelligence on the ice, Monahan reached several franchise and league milestones early in his career. Beyond his on-ice accomplishments, he earned national recognition for the perseverance and character he displayed following the tragic death of his close friend and former teammate Johnny Gaudreau in August 2024.
Early Life and Background
Sean Monahan was born on October 12, 1994, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. He is the son of John and Cathy Monahan and has an older sister, Jacqueline. He grew up in a sports-oriented household in Brampton, where he attended St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School while pursuing his athletic development outside the classroom.
As a youth, Monahan played both minor hockey and lacrosse, suiting up for the Brampton Excelsiors lacrosse program. One of his teammates during those years was Tyler Ennis, a former Syracuse point guard who went on to play in the NBA. This multi-sport background helped shape his coordination and competitive edge before he committed fully to hockey.
Path to Hockey
Monahan began his competitive hockey path with the Mississauga Rebels of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL). At just 15 years old in 2010, he captained the Rebels to an OHL Cup title and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. That same season he recorded 46 goals and 40 assists in 47 games, performances that established him as a top prospect for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection Draft, where the Ottawa 67’s selected him in the first round, 16th overall.
His transition to major junior hockey with the 67’s got off to a difficult start after he suffered a sprained wrist in his first training camp, slowing his production during the early part of the 2010–11 season. An invitation to the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he helped Team Ontario capture gold, restored his confidence. He went on to play two more seasons in Ottawa, tying for 15th in OHL scoring in 2011–12 with 78 points and serving as team captain in 2012–13.
Sean Monahan Career
Junior Career (2009–2013)
Across three seasons with the Ottawa 67’s, Monahan developed into one of the OHL’s most complete two-way centres. In 2011–12, playing alongside fellow NHL prospects Tyler Toffoli, Shane Prince and Cody Ceci, he earned OHL Second All-Star Team honours and was the 67’s representative on the league’s All-Scholastic team.
His final junior season was a transitional one for both player and franchise. The 67’s entered a rebuilding phase after graduating several top players, finishing last in the conference with only 16 wins. Monahan shared the captaincy with Cody Ceci early in the year and closed the season with 31 goals and 78 points, cementing his status as a top NHL draft prospect.
Calgary Flames Era (2013–2022)
Heading into the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Monahan as the fifth-best North American skater, while International Scouting Services placed him ninth overall. OHL coaches praised his intelligence, playmaking, stickhandling and faceoff work. Selected sixth overall by the Calgary Flames, the 18-year-old centre declared he was ready for the NHL and won a roster spot out of training camp.
Monahan made his NHL debut on October 3, 2013, against the Washington Capitals, recording his first point with an assist on a David Jones goal in a 5–4 shootout loss. He scored his first NHL goal the next night against Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 4–3 win. After six goals in his first nine games, he became the first junior-eligible player to make the full-time jump to the Flames roster in 33 years. By season’s end, his 20th goal made him the first Flames rookie to reach the mark since Dion Phaneuf in 2005–06.
Monahan quickly became a cornerstone of the Flames’ rebuild. After back-to-back 60-plus point seasons, he signed a seven-year, $44.625 million contract extension on August 19, 2016. During the 2016–17 campaign he scored his 100th career goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 23, 2017, becoming the youngest player in Flames history to reach that milestone at 22 years and 134 days old. On November 18, 2017, he recorded his first career hat trick against the Philadelphia Flyers, and on December 7 of that year he became the fastest player in NHL history to record nine career overtime goals.
His later years in Calgary were marked by significant injuries. In 2021–22, despite the Flames leading the Pacific Division, Monahan struggled in a reduced role and ultimately underwent season-ending surgery on his right hip on April 2, 2022, after recording 8 goals and 23 points through 65 games.
Montreal Canadiens Era (2022–2024)
On August 18, 2022, the Calgary Flames traded Monahan and a conditional first-round pick in 2025 to the Montreal Canadiens in a salary-cap move designed to create room for free-agent signing Nazem Kadri. Monahan made an immediate impact, scoring on his birthday in his Canadiens debut, a 4–3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 12, 2022.
A foot injury sustained in November 2022 limited him to only 25 games that season and led to a groin complication. After a short-term contract, Monahan signed a one-year extension on June 20, 2023, worth $1.985 million, but was dealt again before the 2024 trade deadline.
Winnipeg Jets Era (2024)
On February 2, 2024, the Montreal Canadiens traded Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional third-round pick in 2027. His time in Winnipeg was brief but provided a fresh start as he continued his recovery and worked to re-establish himself as a top-six centre.
Columbus Blue Jackets Era (2024–Present)
On July 1, 2024, Monahan signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, joining as a free agent. He intended the move to reunite with former Calgary teammate and close friend Johnny Gaudreau, a plan tragically altered when Gaudreau was killed by a drunk driver on August 29, 2024, the same day Monahan and his family had planned to depart for Columbus.
Despite the devastating loss, Monahan helped anchor a strong 2024–25 season for the Blue Jackets. He missed 28 games after sustaining a wrist injury in January 2025 but finished the year with 19 goals and 57 points in 54 games. Columbus ultimately fell just short of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, becoming the final team eliminated from Eastern Conference second wildcard contention. Monahan was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, with the trophy presented by Gaudreau’s widow Meredith.
Driving Style and Strengths
Monahan is widely regarded as a complete two-way centre whose strengths include elite faceoff ability, smart puck distribution and steady defensive positioning. His calm approach with the puck and willingness to play in all situations have made him a trusted top-line centre and penalty-kill option throughout his NHL career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his career-defining moments, Monahan became the youngest player in Calgary Flames history to reach 100 career goals, recorded the fastest nine career overtime goals in NHL history and scored a hat trick against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017. His 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy stands as one of the most poignant individual honours in recent NHL history.
Sean Monahan Career Wins
Sean Monahan has compiled a long list of team and individual accomplishments across junior, international and professional hockey. From an OHL Cup title with the Mississauga Rebels in 2010 to international gold medals with Canada, his trophy case reflects a steady climb through every level of the sport.
NHL Highlights
In the NHL, Monahan reached 100 career goals as the youngest player in Calgary Flames history and posted four consecutive 20-goal seasons to begin his career. His nine career overtime goals through December 2017 set an NHL record for fastest to reach that mark. Most recently, he captured the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2025.
International and Junior Highlights
At the junior level, Monahan captained the Mississauga Rebels to an OHL Cup title and was named tournament MVP in 2010. He later won gold with Team Ontario at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and scored in the championship game of the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, helping Canada capture a fourth consecutive title at the event.
Sean Monahan Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Sean Monahan was raised in Brampton, Ontario, by his parents John and Cathy. He has an older sister named Jacqueline. His family supported his development in both hockey and lacrosse during his formative years in the Greater Toronto Area.
Personal Life
Monahan has publicly shared that he and his family were looking forward to raising their children alongside Johnny Gaudreau’s family in Columbus, a plan shaped by the close friendship he built with Gaudreau during their years together in Calgary.
2025 Season Performance
Sean Monahan’s 2024–25 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets was defined by resilience. Following the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau, expectations for the Blue Jackets were modest after a fourth-last finish the previous year. Instead, Monahan served as a stabilizing first-line centre and helped drive a campaign that kept Columbus in playoff contention deep into the schedule.
His production of 19 goals and 57 points in 54 games earned him widespread recognition, including the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Although he missed 28 games with a wrist injury suffered in January 2025, his return down the stretch helped fuel the Blue Jackets’ late push, which ended only when they were eliminated as the final team out of the Eastern Conference second wildcard spot.
Looking ahead to the remainder of 2025, Monahan remains a central figure in the Blue Jackets’ long-term plan under his five-year contract. With renewed health and a leadership group motivated by the previous season’s near-miss, he is positioned to remain one of the team’s primary offensive contributors and a stabilizing presence in the locker room.