From that point on, Monahan never looked back, registering 462 points (212 goals, 250 assists) in 656 games. Away from the rink, he also made his presence felt in the community and built a life with his wife, Brittany, and their dog, Winston.
It's understandable that joining a new squad and moving to a new city could present a real challenge. But, the advantage of being dealt in the offseason is that you have time to adjust. Monahan and his better half arrived together before training camp to go house hunting in Montreal. A few of his teammates are also living in the same area and showed him around so he could grow more comfortable with his surroundings.
"We're starting to feel at home," he said.
That feeling of familiarity also translated onto the ice. Since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, Monahan has showcased his talent, experience and leadership on a team hungry to learn and improve.
Featured on the wing and at center, the versatile veteran has adapted well to head coach Martin St-Louis' style.
"Marty is a passionate guy. We come in every day trying to win and get better," said Monahan. "As a group, we've done a good job at that and we're having fun working hard together, and that's the most important thing. When you do that, the results start to come."
He established chemistry with captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Kirby Dach, among others. Fans especially enjoyed seeing Dach and Monahan click.
"We get along pretty well, we play a similar style of game, and we're able to understand each other and make tic-tac-toe plays," explained Dach, after scoring the overtime-winner off a nice pass from Monahan against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 17.