Canadiens Shopping Sam Montembeault? Insider Addresses Under-Fire Montreal Goalie’s Future

The Montreal Canadiens have opened their season with signs of progress, but they have experienced a recent slide. Their spot near the top of the Atlantic Division shows improvement, but the bumps in their game keep fans focused on what still needs work.

One area drawing more attention is the crease, where Sam Montembeault sits at the center of growing conversation. As the team manages injuries and inconsistency, his performances have become a natural starting point for a bigger discussion.

Are the Canadiens Shopping Sam Montembeault?

Questions about Sam Montembeault’s future picked up this week after news surfaced that he would start against the Washington Capitals. A fan asked online if the Canadiens might be showcasing him for a possible trade, but insider Marco D’Amico quickly shut that idea down and noted that a move is not expected.

“Not likely, no,” Marco wrote on X.

Montembeault, 29, is working through a difficult stretch. His 4-5-1 record, 3.56 goals-against average, and .858 save percentage show the challenges he has faced in finding consistency. Those issues appear even more clearly in losses, where his save percentage drops to .849. The Canadiens’ defensive struggles add to the pressure on him, but his own uneven play has kept the focus on his position.

He has still delivered strong moments, including his win over Utah on November 8, when he stopped 25 of 27 shots and gave the Canadiens a clear look at what he can offer when everything comes together. Showings like that play a big role in why Montreal continues to rely on him, particularly at a time when several important skaters remain out of the lineup.

Montembeault remains in a comfortable spot contract-wise, as he is signed to a three-year, $9.45 million deal that carries a $3.15 million cap hit each season and runs through 2026-27, at which point he will become an unrestricted free agent. With another season still left on the contract after this one, Montreal has little incentive to rush into any decisions about his future, especially when considering the organization’s limited goaltending depth behind him.

He has appeared in 11 games this season, starting 10 of them, and the workload reflects the organization’s continued trust. But the calls for improvement grow louder with each up-and-down outing. Montreal scores enough to stay competitive, yet they allow nearly as much, placing even more weight on Montembeault to give them stronger nights in the crease.

Also read: Montreal Canadiens Could Be Circling $29,400,000 Trade Candidate, per Insider

As the Canadiens navigate their early schedule, the conversation around their goalie will remain one of the defining storylines. For now, the team appears committed to giving Montembeault every chance to find rhythm. How long that approach lasts will depend on his play and on how much patience Montreal can afford as the season moves forward.