Samuel Montembeault is still in Montreal as August winds down, and for now, the Canadiens seem set on seeing where this goes.
That wasn’t the path many expected after last season. With Jakub Dobes stepping up when given the chance to handle the No. 1 job and Jacob Fowler showing he could make the jump to the NHL, Montembeault looked like a possible odd man out. Instead, Kent Hughes appears to be taking a different approach.
The Canadiens’ general manager has made it clear since being hired that he is not interested in buying high and selling low, and Montembeault’s value is sitting at its lowest point. Hughes likely would have moved the Becancour native if he had found what he considers fair value, but that market never really materialized.
After Montembeault finished last season with a 10-8-4 record, a 3.43 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage, it is easy to see why interest would be limited. He was never a .915 save percentage goalie, either; in the three seasons before that, he posted marks of .901, .903 and .902.
That leaves Montreal in a familiar kind of holding pattern. The Canadiens claimed Montembeault off waivers, and there was a time when it looked as though Hughes might be willing to sell low.
But with so many teams already having made their goaltending moves, the window appears to be closing. The logic now seems simple enough: if the return is not right, keep him, bring him back next season and hope his value climbs.
That is where the risk comes in. Montembeault might not bounce back, and if he doesn’t, the Canadiens could be stuck with the downside instead of the rebound.
Everyone would like to see him recover - he is described as as nice a guy as you can find - but that does not mean it will happen. And for a team that is past the stage of simply developing talent and wants results, a shaky goaltender can become a real problem.
Last season, the Canadiens were uneasy playing in front of Montembeault. They knew he lacked confidence, and that seeped into their own game. For a young team, that kind of uncertainty is a distraction it does not need.
Fowler gives Montreal another option. He can be sent to the AHL without clearing waivers, which makes that an easy move.
The source of concern is not his development so much as where he would be best served spending his time. Still, if Montembeault struggles again, keeping Fowler down could come at a cost to the team.
And in the Atlantic Division, there is little room for that kind of gamble. It is expected to be the toughest division in the league, and the Canadiens cannot afford to give away points while waiting for Montembeault to rebuild his trade value. If they do give him another shot, the leash needs to be short, and Fowler should be ready if needed.
At this point, Hughes seems more willing to let Montembeault reach the end of his contract than trade him for less than he believes the goalie is worth. That is a defensible stance. It just cannot be one that hurts the team.
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