Sam Montembeault’s right leg injury has put the Canadiens in a spot they probably hoped to avoid this early.
The Montreal goaltender appeared to suffer a non-contact injury during Wednesday’s practice, and while he was able to skate off under his own power, he clearly wasn’t moving comfortably. He put little weight on the leg and left with a noticeable limp. His status is expected to be announced later today.
If Montembeault has to miss time, Montreal could be looking at another chance to evaluate Jacob Fowler.
The 21-year-old has moved quickly through the Canadiens’ pipeline since being selected in the third round in 2023, backing up the hype with strong numbers at every stop. That includes his work this season, where he has started two games and gone 1-1-0 with a 1.53 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage. Last season, when he got his shot with Montreal, he was solid there too, finishing 9-6-2 with a 2.43 GAA and a .908 save percentage.
Fowler was viewed by some as a legitimate threat for the starting job before Jakub Dobeš closed last season and the playoffs the way he did, and that conversation could come back fast if Montreal needs a jolt in goal.
Dobeš, a fifth-round pick in 2020, had a rough night in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He stopped 27 shots but allowed five goals, and over his last two starts - against the Penguins and the Hurricanes - he’s given up 11 goals. That stretch has raised some concern.
The timing matters, too. Montreal has a couple of easier games coming against the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings, but next week turns much tougher with a matchup against the Washington Capitals and two games against the Buffalo Sabres.
Fowler has allowed three or more goals in only seven of his 17 NHL regular season starts. If he keeps playing like that, the Canadiens could be facing a surprisingly quick change in the crease.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Have A New Lineup Concern Beyond Demidov
The Canadiens lineup picture has taken on a little more haze heading into a busy stretch against the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings. Demidov is already out with an injury, and Oliver Kapanen has also been missing from several practices, leaving head coach Martin St-Louis with more uncertainty than he likely wanted at this point in the schedule.
Kapanens absence has added another layer of intrigue because the Canadiens have not offered much to explain it, and the timing matters with games coming up quickly. St-Louis now has to keep sorting out combinations and depth options while trying to cover for Demidovs absence, and the clubs next few days may say a lot about how flexible the roster really is. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Have Found The Answer To A Big Top-Line Debate
Juraj Slafkovskys place in the Montreal Canadiens lineup has been one of the more interesting debates around the clubs recent stretch, and it took a twist when he was shifted onto the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. The move came with Ivan Demidov sidelined, forcing the Canadiens to adjust their forward combinations and giving Slafkovsky a chance to show how he fits beside the teams two most established finishers.
The appeal is obvious: Slafkovskys size, puck protection and improving play can help drive a line that already has skill to burn, while the alternative is sending him back down to a second unit where he might carry more of the puck and the playmaking load. Montreal now has a decision to make about whether the experiment is a short-term fix or something worth keeping in place once the roster is back closer to full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Blue Line Just Put One Tough Roster Decision In Focus
The Canadiens blue line was tested hard in a 6-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, and the early damage came from a third pairing that has been under the microscope. Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj were on the ice for two goals in the opening stretch, a rough start that only sharpened the concern around how Montreal is covering the back end while Kaiden Guhle remains out with an injury.
Guhles return will force the kind of lineup conversation teams usually prefer to postpone, but Montreal does not have that luxury right now. The defense has to be sorted with an eye on both stability and development, and there is already a sense that the decision could come down to one of the young left-side options. Adam Engstrom is part of that discussion, which is exactly why the next roster move on defense will be worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]