Are the Edmonton Oilers about to make a massive gamble in the crease? With unrestricted free agency looming for both Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram on July 1st, the Oilers are staring down a glaring hole in net. Right now, Tristan Jarry is the only NHL-caliber goaltender under contract in Edmonton for the 2026-27 season. But help might be coming from an unexpected place: the Montreal Canadiens.
According to insider Maxime Truman, the Edmonton Oilers are showing significant interest in Montreal’s odd-man-out, Samuel Montembeault. Why would a Cup-contending team look at a goalie coming off a brutal season with an .872 save percentage? Simple: desperation, salary cap constraints, and the NHL reality that goaltending is pure voodoo.
With the incredible postseason rise of Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler in the Canadiens’ pipeline, Montembeault has become entirely expendable in Montreal. Let’s break down why this one-year, $3.15 million reclamation project could be the exact under-the-radar move the Oilers need to solidify their goaltending tandem, and what it will cost to get him.
How Samuel Montembeault Fits the Edmonton Oilers Goalie Plans
From my vantage point covering the NHL, I understand why Oilers fans might balk at this rumor initially. Montembeault fell from grace dramatically this season. He played just 25 games, posting a 10-8-4 record with a bloated 3.43 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage. He even required a brief conditioning stint with the AHL’s Laval Rocket in December to find his game, where he still struggled.
But NHL front offices look at underlying metrics and historical baselines, not just one bad year. Before this season’s collapse, Montembeault was a steady, league-average goaltender playing behind one of the worst defensive structures in hockey in Montreal. The Edmonton Oilers don’t need a Vezina winner; they need a capable 1B to split the load with Tristan Jarry.
At $3.15 million AAV for just one more year, Montembeault represents a low-risk, high-reward flier. If he bounces back to his 2023-24 form, Edmonton gets a bargain tandem. If he doesn’t, the contract expires without doing long-term damage to their Stanley Cup window.
Montreal Canadiens Goalie Pipeline Forces a Trade
The Montreal Canadiens are operating from a position of power when it comes to prospect depth, but a position of weakness regarding Montembeault’s trade value. Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler have proven they are the future of the Habs’ crease. You simply cannot stall the development of two elite youngsters to play a struggling veteran.
General Manager Kent Hughes has no leverage to ask for a premium draft pick here. The Oilers have clearly checked in because the acquisition cost is going to be incredibly low, likely a mid-round pick or a middling prospect. Edmonton isn’t the only team calling, but they offer Montembeault a clear path to playing time. If the Oilers can secure him on the cheap, pairing him with Jarry could be the savvy, cap-compliant move that rounds out their offseason roster.
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