Samuel Montembeault’s pregame routine before the Canadiens’ final preseason matchup is already turning heads, and not just because he’s taking part in the last round of the backup goaltender battle.
Before the game, Anthony Martineau reported that Montembeault and Jacob Fowler would each get 30 minutes in net as they close out their competition for the role behind the starter. The setup itself made the night a key one. But it was Montembeault’s behavior during warmups that drew the most attention.
He stayed on the ice right until the end, even taking time to hand a few pucks to fans. Fowler, by contrast, left with five minutes remaining, a detail that didn’t go unnoticed by those watching.
That small gesture has already sparked plenty of speculation about what it might mean for Montembeault’s future in Montreal. Some observers are wondering whether this could have been his last warmup with the Canadiens. He appeared reluctant to leave, at least to the eye test.
Nothing about that can be confirmed yet, but the situation around Montembeault has been unusual. This week, there was still reported interest from Kent Hughes in trading the goaltender before the season begins. At the same time, Martin St-Louis praised him publicly yesterday and pointed to the strong camp he’s had so far.
Montembeault’s move into Group A earlier this week only added another layer to the conversation.
With the season just days away, the Canadiens’ goaltending picture is still very much in motion. Their first regular-season game is set for next Tuesday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.
In Other News...
Canadiens Sent David Reinbacher Down For A Bigger Reason
David Reinbachers latest assignment to Laval says more about the Canadiens roster picture than it does about his play. Montreals decision was not a reflection of how he performed, but a sign of how the club wants to manage a young defenseman who is still best served by getting major minutes rather than sitting in a limited role on the NHL bench.
The timing matters, too, because the Canadiens are getting healthier on the blue line. With Kaiden Guhle edging closer to a return, the immediate need for an extra defenseman has eased, leaving Montreal with a choice that favors development over depth. For now, Reinbacher stays where the games can give him more responsibility, even if the path back up becomes clearer again soon. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Make A Tough Early Call On David Reinbacher
The Canadiens final roster cuts brought a notable early-season decision on David Reinbacher, who will start the year with the Laval Rocket in the AHL. The former fifth-overall pick had a strong preseason, but Montreal is clearly taking the long view with a young defenseman whose development has already been shaped by injury history and a crowded battle for minutes on the blue line.
For now, Reinbacher should get the kind of heavy workload in Laval that can be harder to guarantee in Montreal, where the club had to balance roster spots, waiver concerns and its depth chart on defense. The door to the NHL is hardly closed, though, and if he keeps building through the season, the Canadiens are leaving themselves plenty of room to bring him back up when the timing makes sense. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Trade Interest Just Raised The Stakes For Kent Hughes
The Canadiens spent part of the summer exploring a bigger swing, with Frank Seravalli reporting that management had considered packaging Kirby Dach in a larger deal if it meant bringing immediate help back the other way. It was the kind of roster-thinking that makes sense for a team trying to accelerate its timeline, and it also showed how aggressively Kent Hughes has been willing to survey the market when there is a chance to reshape the lineup.
Montreal had Kirill Marchenko in mind as a possible target before he was moved to Toronto, which forced the Canadiens to keep searching for another path. The Edmonton Oilers also showed interest in Dach, but Hughes appears to be holding out for a more significant trade opening, leaving the next move tied to whether a better fit comes available. [Read more 🡒]