The Montreal Canadiens have a Samuel Montembeault decision that is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid. After entering last season as Montreal’s established starter, Montembeault watched Jakub Dobes take control of the crease while highly regarded prospect Jacob Fowler pushed his way into the NHL conversation. Now, with Montembeault entering the final year of his contract, the Canadiens must decide whether rebuilding his value is worth potentially taking starts away from their younger goalies.
Brendan Kelly of the Montreal Gazette believes Montreal should stop waiting and trade Montembeault as soon as possible. That opinion carries more weight when you look at how dramatically the depth chart changed. Montembeault appeared in only 25 games last season, going 10-8-4 with a 3.43 goals-against average and .872 save percentage, the poorest statistical season of his Canadiens tenure.
My view is a little more complicated: Montreal probably should trade Montembeault, but trading him today could also represent poor asset management.
Why the Canadiens May Need to Trade Samuel Montembeault Now
Montembeault, 29, has one season remaining at a manageable $3.15 million cap hit before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027. There is no long-term contract problem here. The problem is finding enough NHL starts for three goaltenders.
Dobes has earned his opportunity. He finished 2025-26 at 29-10-4 with a 2.78 GAA and .901 save percentage before appearing in all 19 of Montreal’s playoff games during its run to the Eastern Conference Final. Montreal reinforced its commitment to him in July by signing Dobes to a three-year extension beginning in 2027-28 worth approximately $5.36 million annually.
Fowler presents another challenge. The 21-year-old went 9-6-2 with a 2.43 GAA and .908 save percentage in 17 NHL appearances. He needs games, not nights sitting in the press box.
That is why I understand Kelly’s argument. If Montreal believes Dobes and Fowler are its long-term tandem, every Montembeault start has to serve a purpose.
Samuel Montembeault’s Trade Value Has Hit a Difficult Low
The Canadiens’ biggest problem is timing.
Montembeault’s value would have looked considerably different following 2024-25, when he posted a .902 save percentage in 62 games and recorded strong underlying results. PuckPedia’s data credits him with 24.59 goals saved above expected that season. One year later, his save percentage collapsed to .872, and his GSAx fell below zero.
That creates the classic NHL dilemma: do you sell low to solve the roster problem, or wait and hope the player rebuilds his value?
My proprietary NHLTradeRumor.com-style trade-value estimate would currently place Montembeault at approximately 46/100.
I would score his recent performance at 8/25, previous track record at 16/25, contract value at 14/20, age and projected role at 5/15, and Montreal’s negotiating leverage at just 3/15.
The contract itself isn’t the problem. A one-year commitment limits the risk for an acquiring team. The issue is that another general manager has little reason to pay Montreal a meaningful asset when everyone knows Dobes and Fowler have passed Montembeault on the depth chart.
Pierre LeBrun had already suggested earlier this offseason that Montembeault’s time with Montreal was likely finished and that the Canadiens would have to move him. As of August 9, that expected trade still hasn’t materialized, which is another indication that the market may not be strong enough yet.
What a Samuel Montembeault Trade Could Do for Montreal’s Salary Cap
PuckPedia currently projects the Canadiens with approximately $9.784 million in 2026-27 cap space. Moving Montembeault without taking salary back would add his entire $3.15 million cap hit to that flexibility.
| Scenario | Cap Relief | Projected Canadiens Cap Space |
|---|---|---|
| Trade – no salary retained | $3.150 million | $12.934 million |
| Trade – Montreal retains 50% | $1.575 million | $11.359 million |
| Assigned to AHL | Approx. $1.225 million | Approx. $11.009 million |
Assigning Montembeault to the minors could create roughly $1.225 million in additional cap space. The cleaner solution financially remains a trade, especially if Montreal can avoid retention.
Why I Wouldn’t Give Samuel Montembeault Away
This is where I differ slightly from the “trade him immediately” argument.
Montembeault has demonstrated that he can provide quality NHL goaltending. His 2025-26 season was disastrous statistically, but it also stands out against the three seasons immediately before it. That track record is precisely why a club looking for a buy-low goalie could eventually become interested.
The Canadiens therefore shouldn’t attach a meaningful draft pick just to get rid of him. They have enough cap space that this isn’t a desperation salary dump.
If Kent Hughes can move Montembeault for a conditional mid-to-late-round selection, a comparable reclamation asset, or even with limited salary retention, I would make the trade.
If the only offers require Montreal to sacrifice another valuable asset, I’d be willing to start Fowler in Laval, allow Montembeault a short opportunity to rebuild his value, and revisit the trade market once another NHL team develops a goaltending problem.
The danger is allowing that experiment to last too long.
Montreal is no longer rebuilding simply for future seasons. After Dobes helped the Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference Final, early-season points matter. Giving Montembeault repeated starts solely to manufacture trade value would make little sense if his struggles return.
My prediction: Montembeault will ultimately be traded during the 2026-27 season, but Montreal may have to wait until an injury or poor performance elsewhere creates a stronger goalie market. That is analysis, not a report of an agreed or imminent trade.
Samuel Montembeault Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 231 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Playoffs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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