Hunter Shepard’s move to the KHL has opened up a fresh wrinkle in the Canadiens’ goaltending picture, and it could end up creating a real opportunity inside the organization.
Shepard, who was acquired by Kent Hughes in a trade last March, is headed to Astana. His departure leaves a hole in the Laval Rocket crease, and that vacancy may wind up benefiting either a young goalie in the system or a veteran option.
At the moment, Kaapo Kahkonen is the only goalie officially under contract with the Rocket, which makes Laval’s situation worth watching closely. With Shepard gone, the depth chart has been shaken up, and the Canadiens may already have a plan in motion.
Technically, Montreal still has three goaltenders since Samuel Montembeault has not been traded. That’s where things get interesting.
One possibility is that Jacob Fowler is sent back to the American Hockey League so he can get more playing time than he would in Montreal. If that happens, he would step right into the opening left by Shepard in Laval.
Montembeault’s status adds another layer. If he opens the season with the Canadiens and Fowler is assigned to the AHL, a new goaltending controversy could surface. If Montembeault is placed on waivers and sent to the Laval Rocket, the situation could become even messier.
A veteran being pushed aside in favor of a younger goalie, or ending up in a three-goalie setup, is the kind of arrangement that rarely sits well in a dressing room.
In Other News...
Canadiens Face A Real Xhekaj Decision In New Trade Proposal
Arber Xhekaj keeps lingering in the center of Montreals offseason conversation, and the latest trade idea only adds another layer to it. Calgarys interest in the young Canadiens defenseman has been floating around for months, and the discussion has resurfaced again as Montreal continues sorting out its blue line and weighing what kind of move would actually make sense for the roster it wants to build.
The appeal from the Canadiens side is straightforward enough: they have been looking for a right-handed defenseman who can handle meaningful minutes, and the proposal being kicked around would address that need while forcing Montreal to decide how much value it is willing to attach to Xhekaj. Depending on how the deal is structured, the price could climb beyond a simple one-for-one swap, which is exactly why this has become one of those talks worth watching rather than dismissing. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Real Shot At The Young Center They Need
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Fantilli, 21, turned in a strong season with 59 points in 82 games, enough to make him the kind of center any team would at least have to think about. Montreal has not been confirmed as a club preparing an offer sheet, but the possibility alone is enough to keep the idea alive, especially if Columbus finds itself in a spot where matching becomes difficult. [Read more 🡒]
NHL Expansion Buzz Just Put The Nordiques Dream In Jeopardy
The NHL expansion conversation has started to sharpen, and for Canadiens fans with one eye on the old Nordiques rivalry, the latest chatter is not exactly encouraging. Doug McLean and other hockey voices have been pointing toward Houston as the next city in line for an expansion franchise, with Austin also being mentioned in the mix before quickly fading from view.
For Montreal followers, the significance goes beyond another market on the league map. If Houston is indeed the destination, it would make the long-discussed idea of the Nordiques coming back look even more remote, even if the NHL has not made anything official yet. For now, it is still just buzz, but it is the kind of buzz that can change how people talk about hockey in Quebec. [Read more 🡒]