The Oilers’ camp injuries have kicked up the Samuel Montembeault chatter, but Marco D’Amico isn’t buying the idea that Edmonton suddenly has a path to make that move.
Mattias Janmark, Alec Regula, Matt Savoie and Frederik Andersen are all set to miss the start of training camp, and two of those absences run all the way into November. That kind of news naturally gets people looking for openings on the roster, especially with Andersen expected to back up Tristan Jarry in goal.
Savoie, 22, is coming off a 37-point season in 82 games and was projected to have a meaningful spot in Edmonton’s top nine this year. Andersen’s injury, meanwhile, is what sparked the speculation around Montembeault.
D’Amico shut that down directly:
"If you acquire that salary, you're going to have to keep that salary one way or another.
I know people are going to say: Andersen is injured for six weeks, this is the time to make a trade for Samuel Montembeault.
I don't think the two are connected, because the Oilers wouldn't even have enough cap space to make that acquisition."
- Marco D'Amico
The issue, as D’Amico laid it out, is cap space. Montembeault carries a $3.15 million cap hit, and these injuries don’t create the kind of long-term injured reserve relief Edmonton would need to make room. The Oilers still have to account for those four contracts while the players are out, which leaves them unable to fit in a goaltender like Montembeault.
So even with the injuries piling up, the idea of Edmonton landing the Quebec-born netminder looks like a tough fit for now. Montembeault may have to wait for another opening somewhere else in the NHL.
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