[Otto-matic]

Looking back at the injury-filled journey and the work he's put in to get to where he is now, the Brampton product feels a sense of relief.

"Honestly," an exasperated Monahan reveals, "it was awful feeling.

"Miserable, really.

"My body had finally had enough."

All of it in sum made even the most mindless chores, like getting out of bed in the morning, "unbearably painful," but it was the rickety left wrist with its worsening, pliable tendency that bothered him most.

"I couldn't shoot," Monahan said. "Slap shots? No way. My wrister lost a fair bit of heat, too, but at least I could power through it sometimes.

"Most days it just felt like a piece of rubber."

He never let the frustration show publicly, but admits the toil would often take a toll mentally.

Crazy to think he played through all that for a season that was pretty much over in January. Looking forward to seeing him tear it up again.