9:49 AM: This new extension does not include trade protection, per Sportsnet’s Eric Engels.
9:06 AM: The Montreal Canadiens have signed goaltender Sam Montembeault to a three-year extension. The new deal will carry an average salary of $3.15MM.
Montembeault has been in the midst of extension talks for much of the season, as Montreal has weighed the options of re-signing or trading the 27-year-old goaltender. There’s been no shortage of trade rumors surrounding the Montreal crease, as the team is currently carrying three goaltenders in Montembeault, Cayden Primeau, and Jake Allen. What’s more, they haven’t decided a starter between the trio yet – with Montembeault playing 10 games on the season, Allen playing in nine, and Primeau playing in five.
Montembeault has proven the most effective of the three options through the early season, recording a 5-3 record and .910 save percentage in his 10 outings. This continues his trend of improving performances with the Canadiens, after setting a .891 save percentage in 2021-22 and a .901 save percentage last year. Montreal acquired Montembeault off of waivers from the Florida Panthers ahead of the 2021-22 season and signed the netminder to a two-year, $2MM contract prior to the 2022-23 season. Montembeault has totaled 113 games through his five-year NHL career, setting a 38-48-13 record and .897 save percentage.
With Montembeault now extended, Montreal has all three of their goaltenders signed through next season. With stability in net, the team can turn their focus to their six pending free agents. This includes Sean Monahan and Tanner Pearson, the only pending-UFAs on the roster. The team is slated to have $2.42MM in cap space at the trade deadline and $8.1MM in space next summer, per CapFriendly.
Sam will be a keeper. Now they can get something for Jake in a trade. Maybe trade him to Jersey or the Oil for prospects and/or picks.
Neither Jersey nor Edmonton has the cap to just make a pick/prospect swap. And Allen isn’t that much of an upgrade over what those teams have.
I’m pretty sure Allen will be traded one day. Where will he go? Depends a bit on other teams’ injuries. If someone like Skinner, Georgiev, Vanecek, or even Saros was out for longer, I guess teams would have a closer look at Allen.
Schmid + Vanecek >>> Allen
They need an upgrade, not depth. Daws is just fine as a depth option.
It’s a modest investment, but Montembeault hasn’t exactly been Carey Price in his career. And we know the old saying: “If you have three starting goaltenders, you have no starting goaltenders.”
Montreal essentially has three backup netminders signed through next season.