Samuel Montembeault’s future in Montreal got a little murkier after the Dallas Stars put in a waiver claim for Remi Poirier.
That move matters because it showed just how quickly a goalie can draw interest, even without NHL experience. Poirier, a 25-year-old from Farnham, Quebec, was selected 185th overall by Dallas in 2020, and he has yet to play an NHL game. Still, another team saw enough to claim him.
There’s an extra layer to this one, too. According to the report, Washington was not the team that originally lost Poirier to Dallas. That means the Stars have to place him on waivers again before they can send him to the Texas Stars.
Dallas has plenty of incentive to keep him in the mix. The Stars are 10-5-2, sitting second in the Central Division, and they’ve won seven of their last ten games.
The waiver picture also included Arvid Soderblom, who cleared waivers after being placed there by the Chicago Blackhawks. He has played five games this season and 117 in his NHL career.
For Montreal, the bigger issue is what this says about Samuel Montembeault’s market. Darren Dreger confirmed that teams have called the Canadiens about the goaltender, and the latest waiver movement only sharpens the concern around his situation.
Montembeault, a Bécancour native, has 231 NHL appearances. He’s currently on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, and November 10 is listed as his earliest possible return.
That leaves Kent Hughes with a decision, and waivers don’t look like a realistic path. If Poirier can get claimed without any NHL games on his résumé, there’s little reason to think Montembeault would make it through unclaimed. Montreal would be taking a real risk of losing an established goalie for nothing.
Dreger reported Saturday that Montreal wants to do right by Montembeault if Fowler and Dobes take over. The New York Rangers have also been mentioned as a possible trade destination.
A deal would make more sense for the Canadiens, since it would at least bring something back instead of letting another team take the goalie without compensation.
Montreal is in a strong spot in the standings at 11-3-3, good for second in the Atlantic Division with 25 points.
The Canadiens host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, and the goaltending situation is still unresolved. Poirier’s claim is just the latest sign that the waiver wire is being watched closely across the league.
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