The Winnipeg Jets made a major move on Friday, trading for forward Sean Monahan. Winnipeg sent a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 2027 draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens. After the deal became official, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff spoke to reporters about his trade with Montreal.

“We first and foremost wanted to feel like it was a fit with how we want to play, who we are from a character standpoint,” Cheveldayoff said Friday, via NHL.com. “He checks those boxes very, very well. He's a mature professional player that has learned his craft and become a top player over a course of time in the National Hockey League, and yet he's still 29 years old.”

“He's someone that brings a lot of different skills to the table; face-offs for sure is one of them, can be moved around different spots on the power play, has played penalty kill as well,” Cheveldayoff continued, via NHL.com.

Jets' Kevin Cheveldayoff addresses cost of Sean Monahan trade

One point of discussion regarding this trade is the cost. Winnipeg parted with a 2024 first-round pick in this deal, which some feel is a steep price to pay. The 29-year-old Monahan is having a fine season, to be fair. However, this is by far his best season since 2019-20. And there's no guarantee he can maintain this run of form.

Cheveldayoff, though, is at peace with what he gave up in this trade with the Canadiens. “Fortunately for us, we were able to make a deal happen. You give up a good asset but you have to do that in this league to get a good player,” the Jets general manager said, via NHL.com.

Monahan comes to the Jets having scored 13 goals this season. It's his highest total since 2019-20 when he scored 22 goals for the Calgary Flames. His 35 points this year ranked third among Canadiens skaters at the time of this trade.

Sean Monahan looks to help a Winnipeg Jets team fighting for the Central Division title. Let's see if the 29-year-old can provide his new team a boost down the stretch as the Stanley Cup Playoffs draw ever closer.