The Montreal Canadiens may be building around their younger goaltenders, but Samuel Montembeault is still hanging in the middle of the conversation. Kent Hughes’ three-year extension for Jakub Dobes on Thursday only sharpened the picture: Montreal clearly has a direction, and Montembeault no longer looks like part of the long-term plan.
That idea has been building for a while. Montembeault was pushed to the side during the Canadiens’ playoff run, and his season took a sharp turn after he made Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The drop-off was ugly, and it left the Canadiens with little reason to hide their intent. They would like to move him, though only if the return makes sense.
The goalie market has been moving fast, too. Jacob Markstrom went to the Florida Panthers, Akira Schmid moved as well, and Sergei Bobrovsky ended up with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Detroit Red Wings dealt Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth during the draft. Edmonton kept searching for help behind Connor McDavid by signing Frederik Andersen, while Samuel Errsson bounced from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Leafs in a deal involving Joseph Woll before being flipped again to the Ottawa Senators.
Eric Comrie landed with the San Jose Sharks, Daniil Tarasov signed with the Red Wings, Calvin Pickard joined the Minnesota Wild, Pheonix Copley went to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Vitek Vanecek signed with the New York Islanders, and Stuart Skinner ended up with the Winnipeg Jets.
Winnipeg may not be done, either. Connor Hellebuyck is reportedly available, and once that situation gets sorted out, Montembeault could become more appealing to teams that miss out on the Jets’ three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
The Jets themselves could even be part of the mix. Despite his rough playoff showing, Hellebuyck still has plenty of interest around the league.
Jordan Binnington is another name worth watching. He’s entering the final year of his contract with the St.
Louis Blues, and his performance in the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Olympic gold medal game makes him an interesting option, even if his recent NHL numbers haven’t been strong. He also led the Missouri club to the Stanley Cup in 2018-19.
Asked directly about Montembeault after signing Ivan Demidov to an 8-year contract extension, Hughes gave a simple answer: "Yes." That doesn’t mean a deal is close.
It just means the Canadiens know there’s a market. Montembeault had a miserable season, but he didn’t suddenly forget how to play the position, and that alone should keep him on some teams’ radar.
Still, Montreal isn’t going to move him for the sake of moving him. Hughes will want value back, and if the right offer never shows up, the Canadiens could open camp with all three goalies still in the fold. There’s plenty of time for that to change, and Hughes has shown before that he’s willing to wait for the right deal.
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For Montreal, that matters because Runtso is not just another late-round flyer hoping to blend in and wait his turn. He has a background in the NAHL and has already shown he can adapt to a different level and a different environment, which is part of what makes him intriguing inside the organization. The next question is how quickly that comfort off the ice turns into traction on it, especially as he begins building relationships with teammates and carving out his place in a crowded development picture. [Read more 🡒]
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Andersons comments also land at a moment when Montreal is sorting out its next layer of leadership. With Gallagher gone, the Canadiens may need to look within for another alternate captain alongside Nick Suzuki, and Anderson is at least part of that conversation by reputation and presence. He is one of the players who can speak to what Gallagher brought every night, which is why his tribute carried extra weight for a locker room trying to absorb a familiar heartbeat being taken away. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Linked To A Veteran Winger Fans Will Instantly Debate
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The discussion gets more interesting because of the potential fit with Ivan Demidov, a pairing that would give Montreal a mix of youth and polish on the wing. Beaudoin framed it as the kind of short-term move that could make sense if the price stays reasonable, but for now it remains nothing more than speculation, the sort of idea that will draw plenty of debate long before the Canadiens have to make any real decision. [Read more 🡒]