Sam Montembeault’s injury comes at a bad time for the Canadiens, and not just because Montreal is suddenly short a goalie. Head coach Martin St. Louis said, via Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, that Montembeault will be out for 10 to 14 days after suffering a lower-body injury at practice on Wednesday.
That absence opens the door for a situation that could get uncomfortable fast in Montreal.
Montembeault, a year removed from finishing eighth in Vezina Trophy voting and helping the Canadiens reach the postseason, has already lost his starting job. He wrapped up the 2025-26 season with a 10-8-4 record in 23 games, along with an .872 SV% and 3.43 GAA. The year before, he went 31-24-7 in 62 games with a .902 SV% and 2.82 GAA.
Even with Montembeault on the opening-night roster this season, the crease belongs to Jakub Dobes. Montreal also locked Dobes into a three-year extension this past summer, while Montembeault is in the final season of a three-year, $9.45MM contract with a $3.15MM AAV.
But Dobes may not be the biggest threat to Montembeault’s place with the club. With Montembeault sidelined, the Canadiens recalled Jacob Fowler, who is widely viewed as the league’s top goaltending prospect. Fowler had a rough outing in Montreal’s loss to the Nashville Predators yesterday evening, but his long-term upside remains obvious.
He has looked far sharper with AHL Laval. In his first two starts this season with the Rocket, Fowler has posted a .945 SV% and 1.53 GAA. Last season, his first full year in the pro ranks, he finished 19-7-2 with a .916 SV% and 2.23 GAA in 27 games for Laval.
If Fowler strings together a few strong starts while Montembeault is out, the veteran could end up on waivers soon. Montreal would clear $1.225MM in cap space by reassigning Montembeault, and that money could matter as the trade deadline gets closer.
In Other News...
Adam Engstrom Just Gave Canadiens A Tough Blue Line Decision
Adam Engstroms season debut for Montreal came in a 5-2 loss to Nashville, but the rookie defenseman still gave the Canadiens something to think about on a night when their blue line was under the microscope. He skated just under 12 minutes and was not on the ice for any goals against, and his work helped steady a third pairing that had looked shakier in previous games.
Engstrom also stood out in a quieter way by leading Montreal defensemen in turnovers, though none of them turned into dangerous chances for the Predators. For a team trying to sort out its back end, that kind of performance makes the next lineup decision a little more interesting, especially if the Canadiens are looking for signs that a young defender can handle more responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Telling Blue Line Decision After Struble Trade
Montreals trade of Jayden Struble looks less like a simple subtraction and more like a sign of where the blue line is headed. The Canadiens still have six defensemen on the roster, but management clearly treated the move as strategic, with defensive reinforcements expected to follow rather than leaving the group thin for long.
The next step is what makes the situation worth watching. Kaiden Guhle is nearing a return, which could handle the open spot right away, while David Reinbacher remains the other major internal option if the club decides it needs a seventh defenseman. For a team trying to balance present needs with longer-term planning, the answer will say plenty about how the Canadiens see their depth chart right now. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Delicate Dylan Larkin Test At Bell Centre
The Bell Centre crowd has a way of turning routine visits into something a little more complicated, and Dylan Larkins next trip to Montreal is already carrying an extra layer of intrigue. The Red Wings captain is off to a steady start with two points in two games this season, and with an $8.7 million cap hit, he remains the kind of player who draws attention wherever he goes.
What makes this one stand out is the backdrop around his arrival, which has turned the Canadiens home date into more than just another test on the schedule. TVA Sports reporter Anthony Martineau noted the growing conversation around how Larkin might be received in Canada, and whether the atmosphere inside the building could end up mattering beyond one night at the rink. [Read more 🡒]