To make keeping Monahan worthwhile, the Flames need to somehow acquire a center better than him so he can shift to #2 C, because the Flames aren't winning anything with him as their #1C.
In trading Monahan, the Flames need to acquire a young center who's upside is that of a top #1C (Cozens) and who can get to that level in relatively short order.
Either way, it's hard to expect the Flames to win anything without a better center than who we currently have.
That's not to say that Monahan isn't a 1C. I mean, depends how you look at it. Technically there might be 31 1C's in the NHL, but only a third (maybe half) of those players are at the level where your team can win with them leading the way. I don't necessarily see Monahan as part of that group.
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