Canadiens Goaltending: Solving The Montembeault Dilemma
The Montreal Canadiens are well aware of the risks involved in starting the season with three goaltenders in the fold.
As former Canadiens backup Jake Allen explained, it can lead to frustration and confusion for every player involved.
This may seem like a hyperbolic statement, but if we put ourselves in their shoes for just a moment, it becomes clear that NHL teams, particularly the Canadiens, should not carry three goaltenders.
After all, being a goaltender in Montreal is one of the most taxing jobs from a mental health perspective, requiring a serene environment to allow them to thoroughly prepare for what lies ahead.
But when a goalie does not know when their next start is scheduled, that crucial preparation falls to the wayside. It also impacts the goaltenders on game day, as they know one poor performance may lead to their downfall within the organization.
On the flip side of the coin, there’s almost no advantage to having a three-headed monster in the crease, except perhaps for luxury contingency reasons.
It’s the definition of a lose-lose scenario.
Canadiens Goaltending Situation
As it stands, the Habs still have three netminders on the books: Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes, and Jacob Fowler.
On the surface, it seems like a rather simple situation. Given the discrepancy in age, and more importantly, results, Montembeault is the odd-man out. He finished the season with a lowly .872 save percentage, well below the numbers produced by Dobes (.901) and Fowler (.908).
However, the goaltending market in the NHL is almost always flat.
You will never receive fair value, akin to attempting to move Beanie Babies in 2026 for their highest historic value. The reality is that just like Beanie Babies, you’ll get pennies on the dollar.
And in some cases, you’ll be required to pay to get rid of them.
Seeing as the Habs opted not to buyout Montembeault’s remaining $3.15 million contract, they will look to teams with plenty of cap space as potential trade partners.
Teams such as the Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Kraken, Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Phialdelphia Flyers, and Columbus Blue Jackets are well below the salary cap, but they’re also not in the market for an aging goaltender with declining numbers.
Organizations such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Utah Mammoth, and Carolina Hurricanes are set to spend very little on goaltenders in 2026-27, but once again, Montembeault would not be an upgrade on the goaltenders they currently have in place.
Simply put, moving Montembeault for future considerations may be a challenge, even for a master negotiator like Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes.
More Goaltending Options
If the Canadiens want to simplify things, they can place Montembeault on waivers at the start of the season to possibly entice a team to take a flyer on him. The likelihood of a claim would be very low, as most teams already have an overabundance of netminders in place.
It’s the curse of the position. There are only so many goaltending spots available in every organization.
The supply is abundant, and the demand is quite low.
But every once in a while, injuries occur, leaving teams scrambling for some help between the pipes.
If Montembeault is not claimed, he would still provide the team’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, with a fantastic goaltending option, quite a boon for any farm team.
But there’s one obvious scenario we’ve mostly ignored, assuming that Montembeault’s time with the Canadiens is over after his tumultuous 2025-26 campaign.
In the interest of slaying the three-headed monster, while ensuring 21-year-old Jacob Fowler would be given an abundance of starts, they may consider keeping Montembeault in the NHL, to serve as Jakub Dobes’ backup.
This would lead to plenty of starts for both young goaltenders: Dobes in the NHL, and Fowler in the AHL. It would also eliminate much of the frustration that occurs when young players do not have a clear idea of what the future holds.
Fans may balk at the idea, but there’s something to be said about the value of not rushing a young goaltender into the NHL.
If Fowler is indeed set to serve as Dobes’ backup, he would lose crucial playing time during a vital development season. This is far from ideal, especially for a goalie who has already been rushed through the ranks, spending just two seasons in the NCAA with the Boston College Eagles.
But let’s be clear. This is not an attempt to denigrate Fowler’s potential.
Rather, the goal would be to insulate him as he acclimatizes to the pressure of being one of the most important Montreal Canadiens players for years to come.
Montreal Canadiens goaltending statistics via Elite Prospects.
