Kent Hughes: "It's certain that two goalkeepers will go to the ballot".

Ahhhh, the keeper situation. How will this affect the rest of the club?

After all, if the Habs keep three NHL goaltenders to start the season, it means that Martin St-Louis will not only have to manage the whole thing, but he’ll have one less skater on the roster – presumably in attack.

Right now, Samuel Montembeault, Jake Allen, Casey DeSmith and Cayden Primeau have contracts that will force them to stay in the NHL. So, in an ideal world, we’d have to cut two of them.

And when you consider that Samuel Montembeault was told not to worry about his spot in 2023-2024 and that Jake Allen received the same kind of comment… it gives us some big clues as to the direction the CH wants to take in this regard.

Whether the CH chooses to go with a two-goal or three-goal formula, everyone agrees that Primeau will go to Laval. I don’t see him being called for the ballot, given that the goaltending market is in the doldrums.

That may change in the near future, however.

The result? If the Habs decide to go with two goalies, Casey DeSmith could, as we’ve been predicting for weeks, get the axe. Kent Hughes has already said he’s not going to send him to the minors…

But this morning, in Laval-sur-le-Lac, GM Kent Hughes said that two goalies would go to the ballot.

Canadiens staff live from Podium A at the team’s annual golf tournament.

Canadiens staff address the media live from Podium A at the team’s annual golf tournament.
#GoHabsGo https://t.co/ae6zsjQskG

– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) September 11, 2023

Last month, he said the opposite about DeSmith and waivers. It’s either that the plan has changed regarding the goalie Hughes wants to see leave (I don’t think it’s that since the GM confirmed that DeSmith could be traded)…

Or it’s either that the market is so slow that DeSmith wasn’t traded as quickly as expected. In my opinion, that’s the truth.

The GM didn’t want to get ahead of himself on Montembeault’s contract, saying that he was going to manage the goalies for 2023-2024 first. This allows him to avoid the question, but he’s right: the club in October is the priority.

I don’t think DeSmith is happy with any of this right now – and no wonder.

I think it’s going to take some injuries in the NHL to see DeSmith traded. It could happen in the next few weeks, and that’s probably what Hughes is betting on to avoid sending his veteran goalie packing.

Imagine if Casey DeSmith, Cayden Primeau and Jakub Dobes all ended up in Laval. The ménage à trois would end up in Laval, but I don’t think we’ll get that far.

Things will change first.

Stéphane Waite, for his part, would like to see Cayden Primeau get his chance and would like to see Monty as #1. Remember that he worked with Primeau for years with the Canadiens.

In gusto

– Love it.

This duo 🐍🐐#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/tyuYnDMbtc

– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) September 11, 2023

– Here are the Canadiens’ leaders.

This is it ✨

Officially official#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/7pTHotSvCV

– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) September 11, 2023

– An assistant from here, it’s been a long time.

If I’m looking at the right info, it seems Mike Matheson is first Quebec native to wear a letter for the Canadiens on a full-time basis since Patrice Brisebois in 2002-03.

– HabsLinks (@HabsLinks) September 11, 2023

– That’s a nice number.

Defenseman Gustav Lindström will wear #27 with the Habs.

– Vincent Duquette (@VincentDuquette) September 11, 2023

– The players want to make the playoffs.

#Habs Mike Matheson was asked about management refusing to say “the p-word” [playoffs] and says he understands they’re looking at things realistically and tempering expectations – but that’s not the job of the players.

– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) September 11, 2023