Four Canadian-born goalies have hit the 40-win mark in the last decade: Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens), Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals, three times), Cam Talbot (Edmonton Oilers), and Devan Dubnyk (Minnesota Wild). For a long time, that number was everything. It meant you weren’t just starting games—you were owning them. Patrick Roy did it. So did Roberto Luongo. Carey Price? He made it look easy at his peak.
But that was then. Today’s NHL is different. Teams don’t lean on one goalie the way they used to. Coaches split starts more carefully, backups are more involved, and analytics have reshaped how we judge performance. Wins used to be the stat. Now they’re just part of a bigger picture—save percentage, goals saved above expected, and performance on high-danger chances are the new benchmarks.
Still, 40 wins have an old-school magic to it. It’s clean, it’s bold, and it still gets fans talking. Right now, two Canadian goalies might be able to hit it again: Stuart Skinner with the Oilers and Sam Montembeault with the Canadiens.
Stuart Skinner Seems to Be Canada’s Best Bet
If anyone’s going to break the drought, it’s probably Skinner. In 2023–24, he came close with 36 wins—and probably would’ve hit 40 if Edmonton hadn’t stumbled early in the season. Once they turned things around under head coach Kris Knoblauch, Skinner found his game and gave the Oilers what they needed: a steady, no-frills presence in net. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl carrying the offence, Skinner didn’t have to stand on his head every night—just be reliable.
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Last season, though, didn’t go as expected. Skinner finished with 26 wins in 51 appearances. Some of that was inconsistency. Some of it came from Calvin Pickard’s surprisingly strong play, which earned him more starts. Either way, the numbers dipped.
Even so, Skinner is in the right spot. He’s the starter on a team built to win now, and he’s shown flashes of being up to the task. If he stays healthy and sharp, finds consistency, and Edmonton rolls through the regular season, Skinner could absolutely push back into the 40-win conversation.
Sam Montembeault Is Solid Where It Matters
Then there’s Montembeault. He isn’t chasing 40, and honestly, he doesn’t need to. Last season, he picked up 31 wins in 62 games with a respectable .902 save percentage. Solid numbers—especially considering the Canadiens are still rebuilding. He’s faced plenty of pressure, and he’s handled it with a calmness Montreal hasn’t seen since Price.
Will he hit 40 wins anytime soon? Probably not—unless the Habs make a massive leap forward and Montembeault starts 65+ games. That’s not a knock on him. What he is doing—bringing stability and giving Montreal a chance most nights—is precisely what the team needs. In a city where goalies are always under the microscope, that kind of steadiness matters as much as a flashy milestone.
Has Any NHL Goalie Hit 40 Wins Lately, and Does It Mean Something?
Yes—just not a Canadian. Last season, American-born Connor Hellebuyck hit 47 wins with the Winnipeg Jets, then took home both the Vezina and the Hart Trophy. It was an incredible season, and his second 40+ win season (the other came in 2017–18). For Canadian-born goalies, though, the drought continues. It raises the question: Does 40 wins even matter anymore?
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Skinner still has a real shot. He’s on a team that could win 50+ games, and if he finds his form, 40 wins is on the table. Montembeault won’t be in that race—but what he’s doing in Montreal might be just as important: anchoring a young, developing team and giving them a chance to grow.
Here’s the question—does 40 even matter anymore? It’s a little like that old David Letterman sketch: “Is this anything?” Goalie wins might not be the gold standard they once were, but they still carry weight—especially when no Canadian-born goalie has hit 40 in nearly a decade. Maybe Skinner gets there next season. Maybe Montembeault evolves into something even more. Or perhaps we wait a little longer.
Either way, we’re watching. And we’re still asking the same question: is this anything?
