Goalie recalled to Laval: everything indicates that the Habs will keep three goalies in the NHL

Félix Forget
Goalie recalled to Laval: everything indicates that the Habs will keep three goalies in the NHL
Credit: NHL.com

Ten days ago, Samuel Montembeault was traded to the Laval Rocket. That said, we weren't talking about a normal demotion, but rather a conditioning stint.

He didn't have to go through waivers, but his stay in Laval couldn't have lasted more than 14 days.

Montembeault was originally scheduled to return to the big club before Christmas. However, he ended up spending a little more time away from the club than planned… but as the club was leaving for a road trip, Monty was to join the group for the occasion.

The question, then, was how all this was going to be managed… and we obviously got a piece of the answer from Laval this afternoon: goalkeeper Hunter Jones has been recalled from Trois-Rivières.

So there's reason to believe that the Habs will keep three goalies in the NHL, at least temporarily.

Unlike Montembeault, Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes do not have to go through waivers. Logic would have it that the club would send one of them back to Laval when Montembeault was on his way up… but obviously, all three guys are going to stay in town.

After all, would the Rocket really have recalled a goalie if they knew the Habs were going to give them one tomorrow? Probably not… unless the club wanted to bring Jones back on the heels of the ECHL strike. But then again, why would they want to recall a goalie if they have no intention of dressing him?

Considering that the Habs will be on the road for a while (their next game at the Bell Centre isn't until January 7), having options in front of the net isn't a bad thing. It'll give Martin St-Louis more options when it comes to establishing his plan in front of the net.

Having said that, we also know that the three-way plan isn't ideal. There's always one guy on the bridge instead of in uniform, and considering the club has two young goalies who need to play games, it's not ideal.

But at the same time, Fowler is forcing management's hand and Dobes is playing some good hockey (despite some ugly starts here and there). Neither guy absolutely deserves to go back to Laval.

Let's see how long that lasts, though.


Overtime

– Speaking of the Rocket.

– Interesting.

– Prince Owusu is in Montreal to stay.

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