Samuel Montembeault’s return to the Montreal Canadiens may not be coming nearly as soon as the team first hoped.
That’s the sense from Renaud Lavoie, who said on BPM Sports that after recently crossing paths with the goaltender, he doesn’t expect Montembeault back on the ice anytime soon. The update adds a new layer of uncertainty to a situation the Canadiens had already framed as a short-term absence.
Montembeault was placed on a 10- to 14-day timeline five days ago, with his condition set to be reevaluated at the end of that window. On paper, that would point to a possible return within the next nine days. But Lavoie’s comments suggest the recovery could stretch beyond that.
“I was watching Samuel Montembeault yesterday. I crossed paths with Samuel, and I don't get the impression we'll be seeing him back on the ice anytime soon either.”
The exact reason for the longer wait isn’t clear. The Canadiens have not revealed the nature of Montembeault’s injury, and there’s been no confirmation about whether the team originally underestimated the issue, whether the condition has worsened since, or whether the initial timetable was always meant to be a first checkpoint before a fuller reassessment about a week later.
What is clear is that the longer Montembeault stays out, the more time Montreal has to sort through a crowded and shaky goaltending picture. Fowler has posted a .906 save percentage in three games, while Dobes sits at .841 through four appearances. Montembeault, 29, has not recorded any statistics this season.
The Canadiens are 3-3-1 and giving up 3.9 goals per game. At some point, management will have to make a call - whether that means making a trade, putting a goalie on waivers, or sticking with another three-goalie arrangement. That decision doesn’t appear close yet, but it’s still sitting there for Montreal.
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