Samuel Montembeault: “I wouldn’t say it’s certain he’s going to leave”

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Samuel Montembeault: “I wouldn’t say it’s certain he’s going to leave”
Credit: The Canadiens have three goaltenders at training camp vying for one of the two available spots on the team. But everyone knows the situation: Kent Hughes doesn’t want a three-way race to start the season, and one of them will have to be cut from the 23-man roster next week. And unless an injury changes […]

The Canadiens have three goaltenders at training camp vying for one of the two available spots on the team.

But everyone knows the situation: Kent Hughes doesn't want a three-way race to start the season, and one of them will have to be cut from the 23-man roster next week.

And unless an injury changes the situation, it won't be Jakub Dobes who gets the boot.

So it's no coincidence, in my view, that Jacob Fowler and Samuel Montembeault are having a better camp than Jakub Dobes. For the past few months—since the start of the summer—they've had a lot more to prove than the guy who was the #1 goalie in the playoffs.

But who will take the No. 2 spot?

 

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It's clear that the Canadiens want to give the spot to Fowler. He outperformed Monty last year and represents the future of the team in net.

But can the Habs part ways with Montembeault so easily? Can they let a veteran go just to hand the net over to two young guys, who are sure to have their ups and downs over the course of a looooong 84-game season?

Did the Canadiens keep Montembeault all summer just to lose him in waivers? Because yes, I believe the Quebec native would be claimed if he were placed on waivers.

Renaud Lavoie, in his morning column on BPM Sports, was asked if the goaltender had a chance of staying with the organization. And the journalist refused to say that Montembeault was guaranteed to leave.

Note: He obviously didn't say that Montembeault was guaranteed to stay long-term, either. But he pointed out that the Canadiens had to do what's best for the organization heading into next season.

And in his view, Monty was the best goalie in Saturday's games.


Extension

It still makes sense to think that Fowler will have a spot with the Canadiens at the start of the season since training camp isn't over yet. But I wouldn't be surprised if Fowler ended up starting the season in Laval either.

Tonight's game in Trois-Rivières will be another test.

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