Samuel Montembeault is back on the ice with the Montreal Canadiens, and that alone has turned the team’s crease into a puzzle.
Montembeault has returned to practice and was spotted splitting reps with Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes. He still hasn’t played in a game this season after getting hurt in practice on October 7th, but his return to the rink means Montreal now has to figure out what comes next in goal.
The timing matters because Fowler and Dobes have already carved out a workable setup. Fowler was brought up when Montembeault went down and has been outstanding, putting together an 8-1-2 record with a 2.14 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Dobes entered the season as the Canadiens’ starter, but his numbers have been rough - a 4.04 goals-against average and an .847 save percentage in seven starts. Still, he has steadied himself a bit by winning his last two starts.
That leaves Montreal staring at a possible three-goalie rotation if Montembeault is ready to return soon.
One option is a conditioning stint in Laval. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reported that Kent Hughes said Montembeault could play a couple of games with the Laval Rocket to get back to full fitness. That would give the Canadiens a better read on where his game stands after the injury, while letting Fowler and Dobes keep handling the net in Montreal for the time being.
But it would only push the problem down the road.
If Montembeault goes to Laval, the Canadiens could end up right back in the same spot they were in late last season once he comes back: three goalies, one net, and not enough work to go around. That kind of setup rarely lasts. Practice reps get split too thin, starts become too far apart, and rhythm starts to disappear.
For now, Montreal has a formula that’s working. Fowler has been a big reason the Canadiens sit third in the Eastern Conference, and he has quickly looked like one of the best goalies in the league this season. He started the year in Laval, but at this point, sending him back down no longer feels realistic.
The Canadiens would likely prefer Montembeault to use a conditioning stint to find his game and maybe rebuild some value, especially after winning a roster spot in the preseason. But with Fowler playing this well, there’s no easy path back for the veteran. Dobes also signed a contract extension before this offseason, and Montembeault is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
However this shakes out, one thing is already clear: Montreal can’t keep all three healthy goalies in the same rotation for long.
In Other News...
Canadiens Fans Have A New Reason To Watch Matvei Michkov
Matvei Michkovs situation in Philadelphia has suddenly become one for Canadiens fans to keep an eye on, even if Montreal has not been officially tied to the young forward. Michkov has shown notable production this season, and with his contract set to expire after the year, his future is already a talking point around the league. For a Canadiens team always looking ahead, any hint of a possible opening on a player with that kind of upside is enough to get attention.
The Montreal connection is mostly indirect for now, but it is still real enough to fuel the chatter. Michkovs friendship with Ivan Demidov has given fans a natural reason to imagine a fit, and that alone has made his next move feel more relevant in Montreal than it might elsewhere. For the moment, the intrigue is less about a confirmed pursuit than about whether the Flyers uncertainty could eventually create a door the Canadiens would at least want to look through. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Real Montembeault Decision As Trade Buzz Grows
The Canadiens goaltending picture has picked up some extra attention with Samuel Montembeault in the final year of his contract and currently on injured reserve. General manager Kent Hughes has been fielding interest from around the league, which is enough to keep the conversation alive even if Montreal is not treating this as a move it has to make right away.
What complicates the situation is the market itself, since Montembeaults value is tied to both his health and his contract status. There is interest from multiple teams, but no serious trade offers have surfaced yet, leaving Montreal in a familiar holding pattern as it weighs whether to wait, listen, or simply let the situation develop a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Tough Oliver Kapanen Decision As Trade Buzz Grows
Oliver Kapanens name is starting to surface in trade chatter again, and it comes at a time when the Canadiens are weighing how to manage a crowded forward group. Montreal has reason to value Kapanen after his strong performance last season, but the organization also has to decide whether to use that momentum as a chance to maximize his trade value before his entry-level contract runs out.
The situation is made more complicated by the fact that his current season has not matched the buzz from a year ago, which is why his profile in the market has shifted so quickly. Detroit has been one of the teams linked to discussions, and Montreals front office is now left to sort through whether Kapanen fits into the long-term picture or whether this is the moment to move him while there is still interest. [Read more 🡒]