“I still believe that if an attractive offer comes along, Montembeault will leave.”

Michaël Petit
“I still believe that if an attractive offer comes along, Montembeault will leave.”
Credit: Arianne Bergeron/NHLI via Getty Images

There are some questions surrounding the Montreal Canadiens' net.

One thing is certain: Jakub Dobes was excellent in the playoffs and at the end of the regular season, and he'll start the upcoming season as the No. 1 goaltender.

However, Samuel Montembeault's situation was the subject of much discussion last year.

Let's not beat around the bush: Montembeault didn't have a great season. He wasn't able to turn things around after being loaned to the Laval Rocket, and it's safe to say that Jacob Fowler is already ahead of him in the pecking order.

However, it's not quite that simple. We know that many goalies have changed teams since the offseason, and if Kent Hughes really wanted to trade Montembeault, it would have happened by now.

On the other hand, his value isn't exactly at its peak right now, and for the time being, it's not worth trading him.

During the latest episode of Tellement Hockey, the topic of goalies was discussed, and it's clear that the Habs have a few options available. Marc Antoine Godin also mentioned that he continues to believe that if an attractive offer comes along, Montembeault will be traded.

Just before mentioning that, Godin raised the idea that Montembeault could very well bounce back from his dismal season and become a solid backup to Dobes, while Fowler gains experience in Laval.

We really need to be open to that idea, because it's not a bad thing for Fowler to play and dominate in Laval. He's still young and can certainly continue to improve down there.

Then, if Montembeault bounces back and performs well as the No. 2, there's always the option to trade him, since his value would be higher. However, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to keep him in the fold, since Dobes and Fowler are still young and Montembeault does have some experience. Plus, it provides a safety net in case Dobes or Fowler gets injured.

We know how a team desperate to find a goaltender to replace an injured one can drive up the price.

On the other hand, if Monty doesn't perform, the Habs can always recall Fowler to back up Dobes. Then, the Habs can continue with three goalies for a while (which isn't ideal, let's be clear) to see if any team would be interested in his services. At that point, if a team happens to be desperate to find a goalie, Montembeault becomes an option.

And if the Habs ultimately decide to keep both young goalies on the roster, they could also place Monty on waivers. If he's claimed, that would free up $3.15 million under the salary cap and give Kent Hughes more flexibility to improve the team in other ways. If no one claims him, Monty would be an excellent option for Laval alongside Kaapo Kahkonen.

In short, the situation isn't as alarming as it may seem. The best-case scenario remains seeing Montembeault bounce back and regain his form in net. That would make the Habs' options much more favorable for the team.


In a Nutshell

– It's true that their career paths are similar, but let's not forget that Bolduc seems to be happy in Montreal, and there's a new trend of accepting less money to stay there. We know how Kent Hughes can pull a rabbit out of his hat.

– And the Hawks, who were reportedly comfortable with $13–14 million per season… Leo Carlsson has clearly thrown a wrench into the Hawks' plans.

– Well.

– Jack Hughes could be on the Minnesota Wild's radar. [The Athletic]

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