For decades, the Montreal Canadiens have been chasing stability in goal. Since Carey Price’s prime years, the crease has been a revolving door of hopefuls, placeholders, and short-term fixes. Fans know the pattern all too well: flashes of promise, followed by questions about durability or consistency.
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That’s why Sam Montembeault’s rise feels different. Once seen as nothing more than a serviceable stopgap, he has worked his way into something far more significant—a legitimate NHL starter at a time when Montreal needs one the most.
Montembeault Has Moved From Stopgap to Starter
Montembeault’s 2024–25 season forced everyone to reassess their approach. He played 62 games, the second-highest workload in the league behind only Andrei Vasilevskiy and Connor Hellebuyck. Not only was he available night after night, but he was also productive.
According to MoneyPuck, Montembeault ranked fifth in goals saved above expected (GSAE) among goalies who played at least 40 games. That’s not a stat you luck into. It means he wasn’t just stopping the routine shots—he was stealing chances, bailing out his teammates when opponents generated dangerous looks.
For a goaltender once dismissed as “not the answer,” it was a season that proved he belongs in the starter’s conversation.
Canadiens Must Avoid a Workload Problem
As good as Montembeault was, his heavy workload raises a caution flag. The median workload for NHL starters last season was 54 games. Montembeault played almost 10 percent more, mainly because Cayden Primeau had lost the trust of the coaching staff.
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That’s not a sustainable model. Even elite goalies can fade late in the season when they’re overextended. Montreal knows this. If they want Montembeault to stay sharp and productive, they’ll need to manage his minutes more carefully.
Dobeš Must Become More Than Just an Occasional Backup
Enter Jakub Dobeš. In just 16 games last season, he showed enough to change the conversation about Montreal’s depth chart. He ranked sixth in GSAE per 60 minutes among goalies with at least 10 appearances. More importantly, he wasn’t sheltered—he faced some of the league’s best teams and looked like he belonged.
If the Canadiens can trust Dobeš for 25–30 starts, Montembeault won’t be asked to play 62 again. Instead, he could be managed closer to the league average for starters, around 50–55 games. That’s the sweet spot: less grind, more quality.
With Fowler, the Canadiens’ Future Is on the Horizon
Beyond Dobeš, the Canadiens’ top prospect Jacob Fowler looms as the long-term answer. Talented, athletic, and widely considered a future franchise goalie, Fowler is still developing. Rushing him would be a mistake.
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Here again, Montembeault’s value becomes clear. By holding the net now, he buys Montreal time. Fowler doesn’t have to be pushed into NHL duty too soon. Instead, the Canadiens can let him grow at his own pace, while Montembeault provides steady play at the highest level.
Montembeault Is Already Climbing Into Habs History
There’s also a historical subplot worth noting. If Montembeault wins 30 games in 2025–26, he will climb to near 11th place on the Canadiens’ all-time wins list, brushing shoulders with Rogie Vachon. No one expects him to match names like Jacques Plante or Ken Dryden, but just entering that territory is an accomplishment in Montreal. It signals more than longevity—it signals trust.
That’s not something handed out lightly in this franchise.
The Best-Case Scenario for the Canadiens in 2025-26
So what does the best-case scenario look like for the Canadiens? First, Montembeault continues to post substantial GSAE numbers, showing he’s more than just “good enough.” The coaching staff manages his workload carefully with Dobeš, keeping him closer to 50–55 games per season.
Meanwhile, Fowler develops on schedule without being rushed into a role he isn’t ready for. As Montembeault climbs the all-time wins list, he cements himself as more than a placeholder. If these things line up, Montreal won’t just have a reliable starter—they’ll have built a sustainable pipeline for the first time in years.
The Canadiens Bottom Line: Montembeault Must Become More Than a Bridge
Montembeault is not just passing the time in the crease. He’s evolving into the steadying force the Canadiens have lacked since Carey Price. With Dobeš proving he can handle backup duty and Fowler waiting in the wings, Montreal has the chance to finally do something they haven’t managed in decades: build absolute continuity in goal.
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For a franchise defined by legendary netminders, that’s no small thing. If Montembeault succeeds, he won’t just be a bridge—he’ll be the crucial link between Montreal’s storied past and the stable future its fans have been waiting for.
[Note: I’d like to thank Brent Bradford (PhD) for his help co-authoring this post. His profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bradford-phd-3a10022a9]
