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Samuel Montembeault

Montreal Canadiens Will Not Trade Sam Montembeault

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When looking around for goaltenders that might be of interest at the trade deadline, one might settle on the Montreal Canadiens. The team gave Cayden Primeau a three-year, one-way contract in the fall that suggested he would soon be installed at the NHL level, but still have Jake Allen and Sam Montembeault taking those spots.

Montembeault, the younger of the two, is only signed through 2023-24, so had drawn some speculation as a potential trade target. The 26-year-old goaltender has been strong for Montreal this year, posting a .912 save percentage in 18 appearances, much better than his older counterpart. Perhaps it is because of that performance that Kent Hughes, speaking with reporters including Eric Engels of Sportsnet, explained that he considers Montembeault a part of the team’s future and will not trade the netminder.

There have been flashes of this before from Montembeault. A third-round pick by the Florida Panthers in 2015, he burst onto the NHL scene a few years later and was impressive. The Panthers went 4-0-1 in his first five appearances, before he eventually went through some rookie struggles. It was the same in 2019-20 when he played 14 times in the NHL, showing ability but no consistency. Last year with the Canadiens, Montembeault was left out to dry many nights, playing behind a team that was destined for the first-overall pick. His .891 save percentage in 38 appearances hides some encouraging development that has carried over to this season.

Now, the question is whether or not Hughes’ comments about Montembeault mean anything specific for Allen, who is set to start a two-year extension next season. He has struggled with injuries this year and has an .892 save percentage (easily the worst of his career) in 27 games. The veteran netminder will turn 33 before the new deal kicks in, and will carry a $3.85MM cap hit through 2024-25.

While Montreal isn’t expected to challenge for the Stanley Cup next year, it’s not like they have plans for a years-long rebuild. Not with some of the young talent that is already in place. That leaves a complicated goaltending situation, especially for next season when Primeau will no longer be waiver-exempt. If Montembeault is part of the long-term solution, it’s not clear how the time share will play out over the next few years, as they transition toward playoff contention once again.

Jake Allen Injured, Expected To Miss Time

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Carey Price may be out of the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program and back with the Montreal Canadiens, but he has yet to actually suit up for the team. Price’s readiness may have just become much more dire, as his understudy is now be out of commission. In Saturday night’s match-up with the Detroit Red Wings, starter Jake Allen was forced out of the game after an ugly collision in net in the first period. Detroit’s Dylan Larkin was shoved from behind by Habs defenseman Jeff Petry while on a net drive and had no time to stop before crashing into Allen (video). Initially, it actually appeared that Larkin received the worst of the blow, with Allen seeming alright. Yet, it was Allen who eventually left the game while Larkin returned (and scored a pair of critical goals, including the overtime game-winner.)

If there was any optimism that Allen was kept out only as a precaution and would be able to return to action right away, that was quickly erased after the game. With the Canadiens turning around and traveling to play the rival Bruins on Sunday, the team announced that Cayden Primeau had been recalled and would meet the team in Boston. After Samuel Montembeault played most of the game on Saturday, Primeau may even be the starter on Sunday, as Allen is clearly not available. Just how long Allen will be out remains the critical question.

While there has been no word yet on the severity of Allen’s injury, an extended absence would be a major blow to an already-struggling Montreal squad. Allen has started 14 of 16 games for the Canadiens and has been playing well. Montembeault is a different story, as there is a reason Allen has been a workhorse for the team. The 25-year-old waiver claim has an .885 save percentage and 3.69 GAA in four appearances this season and sadly this is not far from his career NHL numbers either. If Price and Allen are unavailable and Montembeault becomes the de facto starter, life will get even more difficult for the Habs. Primeau, 22, has some brief NHL experience of his own, but his 2020-21 numbers were disastrous and set the young goalie back in his development. Primeau is off to a good start with the AHL’s Laval Rocket this season, but has yet to show he is ready for the NHL. The team hopes Allen is not sidelined long-term or that Price can finally make his return, because the outlook of their young replacement tandem is bleak.

Canadiens Claim Samuel Montembeault Off Waivers

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The Canadiens have added to their goaltending depth as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is among those reporting (Twitter link) that they’ve claimed goaltender Samuel Montembeault off waivers from Florida.

The 24-year-old spent last season with Syracuse of the AHL on a split affiliation between the Panthers and Lightning.  As a result, he was limited to just 13 games, posting a 2.86 GAA with a .898 SV% in that span.  However, Montembeault does have some NHL experience under his belt, playing in 25 contests with Florida between 2018-19 and 2019-20.  He started as Florida’s backup in 2019 before Chris Driedger forced his way onto the NHL roster, pushing Montembeault down at that time.

The Canadiens are currently without starting goaltender Carey Price who is still recovering from offseason knee surgery and this move would suggest that Montreal is at least hedging their bets against him not being ready to start the season.  As things stand, Montembeault will back up veteran Jake Allen with prospects Cayden Primeau and Michael McNiven likely to be assigned to AHL Laval.

Montembeault is on a one-year, two-way contract that pays $750K in the NHL, $250K in the AHL, and has a guaranteed payment of $350K.  He will be a restricted free agent with arbitration eligibility this summer.

Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With Sam Montembeault

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With Chris Driedger now in Seattle, there is an open spot as the third-string goaltender for the Florida Panthers. The team signed Christopher Gibson earlier this week, but now have their internal candidate locked up as well. The Panthers have agreed to terms with Sam Montembeault on a one-year, two-way contract. CapFriendly reports that the deal is worth $750K in the NHL, $250K in the AHL, and has a $300K guarantee.

Montembeault, 24, played 25 games for the Panthers in the two seasons before 2020-21, posting a 9-8-3 record and an .892 save percentage. With the emergence of Driedger and the addition of Spencer Knight, his spot as an injury fill-in for the NHL squad was lost. This year he went 8-4-1 for the Syracuse Crunch, posting an .898 save percentage as the Panthers shared an affiliate with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Next season, he’ll likely head to the Charlotte Checkers for plenty of playing time, though waivers will now be required to get him to the minor leagues. The 77th overall pick in 2015, Montembeault still has plenty of time to polish his game enough to challenge for an NHL spot somewhere around the league. He seemed on that track in 2019-20 when he had a strong .918 for the AHL club, something he’ll try to get back to this time around.

With Montembeault signing, it brings some attention to a goaltending depth chart that is relatively thin. He and Gibson have 41 NHL games combined, meaning if Sergei Bobrovsky or Knight get injured, there will be an inexperienced option coming in to replace them. Beyond those four the organization doesn’t even have another goaltender signed to an NHL contract, something that will likely change in the coming weeks.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/19/21

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It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.

  • The Florida Panthers have activated Sergei Bobrovsky from his non-roster designation and will start him in net against the Chicago Blackhawks this evening. With that in mind, Sam Montembeault has been moved to the taxi squad. Montembeault is still waiver-exempt for the time being, meaning Chris Driedger will serve as the primary backup this season after getting the opening night start on Sunday and stopping 25 of 27 shots.
  • The Montreal Canadiens continue a rotation to the taxi squad in order to bank cap space, this time moving Jesperi Kotkaniemi there on an off-day. As Arpon Basu of The Athletic relays from the front office, the team will be putting Kotkaniemi, Jake Evans, Alexander Romanov, and Nick Suzuki on the taxi squad throughout the year, trying to make it as fair as possible for all the waiver-exempt players. Kotkaniemi will be available for their next game.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have assigned Ryan McLeod to the AHL, removing him from the taxi squad for the time being. The 21-year-old forward has yet to play in the NHL, but did score 11 points in 15 games during a short stint in Switzerland earlier this season.
  • Lias Andersson is set to make his debut for the Los Angeles Kings. The team announced that Andersson has been activated from the taxi squad and is expected to be in the lineup on Tuesday. In his place, Boko Imama has been reassigned to the taxi squad.

This page will be updated as more moves are officially announced.

Minor Transactions: 01/12/20

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The Dallas Stars dropped their first game of 2020 with a loss on Joe Pavelski’s return to San Jose, but the team still owns a one-point lead over the Colorado Avalanche for second place in the Central Division. As we get close to the upcoming all-star break, several teams will be making roster moves to get that extra advantage. Check in throughout the day to see what moves teams are making today:

  • The Chicago Blackhawks announced they have assigned forward John Quenneville to the Rockford Ice Hogs of the AHL. The forward’s first stint with the Blackhawks wasn’t a great one as he went scoreless in nine games, while spending some of that time on the first line. The 23-year-old will return to Rockford where he already has eight goals in 19 games.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have announced they have swapped forwards. The team has recalled forward Connor Bunnaman from Lehigh Valley of the AHL, while assigning David Kase to the Phantoms. Bunnaman has already appeared in four games for the Flyers, but hasn’t registered a point.
  • While not an NHL transaction, the Buffalo Sabres promoted one of their top propsects as goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been assigned to the Rochester Americans of the AHL from the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, according to Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News. While the team did promise the 20-year-old netminder some playing time in the AHL, it looks like he’s earned it as Luukkonen was named and ECHL All-Star with a .917 save percentage in 20 appearances. The goalie has been impressive, especially considering he spent all summer and the start of this season recovering from hip surgery.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled goaltender Calvin Pickard under emergency conditions from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. No word yet on which netminder might be forced to sit out Sunday’s game against Buffalo.
  • CapFriendly reports that after recalling forward Lukas Radil Saturday, the team has re-assigned the forward to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. He did not play last night.
  • The Florida Panthers announced they have recalled goaltender Sam Montembeault from the Springfield Thunderbird of the AHL on an emergency basis. It looks like he will step into a backup role with Chris Driedger getting the start against Toronto after starter Sergei Bobrovsky left practice early on Saturday. Montembeault was originally the backup for the Panthers, but struggled in seven appearances with a 3.31 GAA and a .891 save percentage. He is currently boasting a .917 save percentage in Springfield through nine games. Due to their limited cap space, Florida also was forced to place defenseman Mackenzie Weegar on LTIR, according to CapFriendly.
  • The Calgary Flames announced they have recalled defenseman Alexander Yelesin from the Stockton Heat of the AHL. The 23-year-old was signed in the offseason out of the KHL where he was used as a shutdown defender. No word on whether a Flames’ defender is injured after Saturday’s game against Edmonton, but it’s likely Yelesin will serve as the team’s seventh defenseman. He has one goal and four points in 29 games.
  • The New York Rangers announced they have recalled forward Phillip Di Giuseppe from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. The 26-year-old Di Giuseppe has plenty of NHL experience as he has already appeared in 150 NHL, mostly with the Carolina Hurricanes, but has not appeared in a game with the Rangers yet. He has 11 goals and 22 points in 39 games in Hartford. The team also assigned Steven Fogarty to Hartford as well. The 26-year-old Fogarty has no points in six games with New York.

Free Agent Profile: Cam Ward

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Since the unrestricted free agency rush of July 1st subsided, just two NHL goaltenders have been signed off the open market: Anthony Stolarz with the Anaheim Ducks and Jared Coreau with the New York Islanders. That’s two goalie signings in 33 days, making it easily the quietest position of this off-season, despite a major re-shuffling of UFA starters early on and several RFA extensions as well.

Unsurprisingly, several notable names remain available – Scott Darling, Chad Johnson, Mike McKenna, Al Montoya – while Michal Neuvirth has already accepted a PTO. However, one name sticks out above the rest for both his career accomplishments and his meaningful role in 2018-19.

Cam Ward, 35, ventured outside of Carolina last season for the first time in his 14-year NHL career. Ward signed a one-year, $3MM contract with the Chicago Blackhawks last summer and proceeded to play a major tole for the team this past season. Dealing with ongoing issues with starter Corey Crawford, Ward ended up playing in 33 games to Crawford’s 39 and Collin Delia’s 16. Although Ward’s .897 save percentage and 3.67 GAA were the worst among the trio, it was only a marginal gap. The Blackhawks struggled defensively and no goalie was safe, as all three finished with a save percentage below .910 and GAA above 2.90.

Still, Ward cannot have been happy with his results last year. A Stanley Cup winner and former All-Star, Ward was rock solid for the Hurricanes for several years. He thrived early on as a workhorse, including a 2010-11 campaign in which he posted a career-high .923 save percentage in a league-best 74 appearances. He then settled nicely into a timeshare role, posting back-to-back seasons with a 2.40 GAA while playing in around 50 games each year from 2014 to 2016. Even as he continued to age and his numbers slipped slightly, no one could have predicted his pedestrian performance last season. It was a sharp decline from his career numbers that could have been an outlier or could be signaling the end of his career.

One thing that is certainly working against Ward finding work this off-season is the now well-established narrative that he does not play well as a backup. Over his career, Ward has played in four seasons, including last year in Chicago, in which he did not make at least half of his team’s starts. In those three seasons combined, Ward is 49-38-13, with a a save percentage of .895 and a GAA of 3.37. In all of his other seasons combined, Ward has a record of 285-218-75, with a save percentage of .911 and a GAA of 2.63. It is extremely clear that Ward does his best work with regular appearances and any team looking to make the most of signing him will want to offer that opportunity. But does such a landing spot exist?

Potential Suitors

The honest answer is that the team likely to sign Ward, if any, isn’t aware of the need just yet. Ward could very well be a veteran option that a team turns to in case of injury or poor performance that can be a temporary starter. While it’s impossible to project injuries, the New York Rangers have a starter who is even older than Ward and have very little depth behind him. A Henrik Lundqvist injury could certainly turn the Blueshirts on to Ward as an option to step in at starter during a season that brings high expectations to New York. The same could be said for the Vegas Golden Knights, whose 34-year-old starter Marc-Andre Fleury has dealt with injury issues before. Vegas is in better shape with their depth in net and could handle a short absence from Fleury, but without a proven NHL goalie elsewhere on the depth chart, a long-term injury could send them on the hunt for a solution. Despite having both John Gibson and Ryan Miller, the Anaheim Ducks are far from safe when it comes to injury risk and could be an option for Ward if disaster strikes. The Philadelphia Flyers shuffled through goalies like no other team in NHL history last year, so another issue with Brian Elliott could easily have the Flyers intrigued in Ward.

As for teams who risk needing a starter due to poor play, no team jumps out more than the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s perhaps even fair to call them the most likely landing spot for Ward, as they are sure to go through some bumpy times with their young tandem of former backup Joonas Korpisalo and unproven import Elvis Merzlikins. The team only has more untested foreign talent in the minors as well. The Blue Jackets have ample cap space, so if there was a bidding war for Ward at any point, Columbus would be the favorite to beat out any other team in need of an emergency starter.

If Ward is intent on signing before the season begins though, rather than wait for a need-based market to develop in-season, there are a couple of teams who could still be looking for a backup. Again, that isn’t the ideal role for Ward, but it is one that the respected veteran would likely be willing to try his hand at again. The Florida Panthers spent big on Sergei Bobrovsky this summer, but 22-year-old Samuel Montembeault is slated to be the primary backup heading into next year. He is waiver-exempt still and could head to the AHL without issue if the team opted to look at a veteran backup. However, this doesn’t seem extremely likely, considering their investment in Bobrovsky, who they likely expect to make 65 starts. In Colorado, the Avalanche seemed hesitant to give last year’s third-string, Pavel Francouz, an extended look despite strong numbers in the NHL and AHL. He is now the likely backup to Philipp Grubauer, who himself is still finding his footing as a true starter. The Avs have almost no depth in net and could look to add another name to the mix in Ward.

Projected Contract

Ward has made at least $3MM in each of the past four seasons and more than $6MM on the contract prior to that. Those days are now over. Regardless of the impact that his role or the team’s defense had on his 2018-19 performance in Chicago, Ward has lost his leverage to command a sizable salary after such a poor season. If he is settling in to a backup role before the season, he will almost certainly land somewhere between $1MM and the league minimum of $700K. If he is signing mid-season to take over as a starter or at least in a timeshare, that number could go up, but not much higher. If Ward feels like he has several years left, he will be looking at this season as an investment in future earnings; he will accept a cheap deal to go to the right place where there is the potential to succeed, so as to hit the market next summer with some more bargaining power. The only question is whether that right fit exists, now or down the road after the season begins. Ward could call it a career if no such opportunities arise by the end of the calendar year.

Panthers Re-Sign Samuel Montembeault And Jayce Hawryluk

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July 19: The Panthers have officially announced the contract for Montembeault, confirming the details. Hawryluk’s deal was announced on Wednesday.

July 15: The Panthers have re-signed two of their remaining restricted free agents as goaltender Samuel Montembeault has signed a one-year, two-way deal, CapFriendly reports.  The contract is worth his qualifying offer of just over $708K in the NHL and $70K in the AHL.  Meanwhile, CapFriendly also notes that forward Jayce Hawryluk also accepted his qualifier worth a little more than $874K in the NHL and $70K in the minors.

Montembeault went into last season as the backup at the AHL level behind Michael Hutchinson but a decent showing from him allowed Florida to deal him to Toronto.  The 22-year-old then got a look with the Panthers as Roberto Luongo and James Reimer dealt with injury issues and general struggles.  He held his own in his time with Florida, posting a 3.04 GAA with a .894 SV% in 11 appearances.  As things stand, he heads into next season as the frontrunner to be the backup to new starter Sergei Bobrovsky.  However, as he’s still waiver-exempt, it’s quite possible that he will be back in the minors next year with the team bringing in another backup in the weeks to come.

Hawryluk also split last season between Florida and AHL Springfield.  While he was quite productive with the Thunderbirds with 32 points in 31 games, he wasn’t able to come close to that type of success in the NHL.  He suited up in 42 games with the Panthers but recorded only seven goals and five assists although his ice time was rather limited at only 9:26 per night.  He’ll likely get a chance to reprise his role on the fourth line next season and if he fails to make the team, Hawryluk will have to pass it through waivers to make it back to the minors.

Florida Panthers Ink Philippe Desrosiers

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Wednesday: Both contracts have been made official.

Tuesday: The Florida Panthers have completed the complete restructuring of their depth chart in net, as TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that Philippe Desrosiers has been signed to a one-year, two-way deal with a minimum $700K cap hit. The Dallas Stars product will likely compete to be third-string behind free agent addition Sergei Bobrovsky and rookie Samuel Montembeault, who has been confirmed as the backup. The trio represent a brand new lineup in goal, as the Panthers began last season with Roberto Luongo (retired), James Reimer (traded), and Michael Hutchinson (traded) in the top three spots.

Desrosiers, 23, was a second-round pick in 2013 after establishing himself as a young workhorse with the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic. However, he has not lived up to that reputation in the pros, spending most of his time in the ECHL over the past four years. However, things began to change this season as Desrosiers finally played more games in the AHL than ECHL and posted a solid .910 save percentage and 2.54 GAA in 26 contests. Despite hinting at his remaining upside, Desrosiers did not earn a qualifying offer from the Stars, allowing him to test the market for a better opportunity.

Desrosier’s competition to be the next man up in AHL Springfield next year is veteran Chris Driedger and rookie Ryan Bednard. Driedger, 25, has made three NHL appearances in his career but, like Desrosiers, has also spent considerable time in the ECHL. While he may have the edge in experience and an existing familiarity with the organization entering his second year with the team, Driedger lacks some of the potential of his competitors and it may cost him in appearances. Bednard, 22, has yet to make his pro debut after signing late in the season with Florida following a postseason run with Bowling Green State University to wrap up his college career. After a stellar senior year, Bednard is likely the favorite to emerge as the No. 3 keeper for the Panthers, but his lack of pro experience may keep him from claiming the title right away.

CapFriendly reports that the Panthers have also signed AHL forward Joel Lowry to a minimum one-year, two-way contract. Lowry logged 30 points in 55 games for Springfield last season, earning himself an NHL deal for the first time in four years.

Islanders, Panthers, Sabres Sign Minor League Goaltenders

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Several teams have fortified their depth in net before the NHL Trade Deadline, which also acts as a deadline for players to sign and be postseason-eligible. The New York Islanders have signed Jeremy Smith, the Florida Panthers have signed Chris Driedger, and the Buffalo Sabres have signed Adam Wilcox. All three deals are identical: two-way contracts worth the minimum $650K at the NHL level for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The trio of keepers will need to clear waivers today.

Smith’s signing is the most significant, as the Islanders have all but clinched a playoff spot this season. The 29-year-old journeyman played in ten games for the Colorado Avalanche just two years ago and previous stops also include the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes. Smith has had several strong seasons in the AHL, including a two-year stretch with the Providence Bruins a few years back in which he was among the best keepers in the league. While the Islanders have hit the jackpot this season with outstanding performances from Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner, there was a significant lack of depth in net with third-string goalie Christopher Gibson struggling immensely this season in the AHL and having a poor track record in the NHL. With Smith signed, he is likely the new third-string should anything happen to Greiss or Lehner.

Driedger, 24, spent several years with the Ottawa Senators before signing an AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds this off-season. Before the Panthers traded Michael Hutchinson away, Driedger was relegated to the ECHL with Hutchinson and Samuel Montembeault taking the AHL starts. However, he has gotten into 16 games with the Thunderbirds since and has outperformed Montembeault. The promising prospect likely remains Florida’s next man up in net, but given the injury histories of Roberto Luongo and James Reimer, it is certainly possible that both Montembeault and Driedger could see NHL action this season.

The Sabres’ signing of Wilcox is likely in response to a recent rash of injuries in net. Both Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark have had injury scares lately, while young Jonas Johansson recently underwent season-ending surgery. While their postseason hopes are dwindling, it still remains a possibility for Buffalo and adding Wilcox gives them depth behind Hutton, Ullmark, and Scott Wedgewood. Wilcox, 26, is no stranger to being an emergency option; the Sabres were forced to call him up last season – again as the fourth-string option – and were pleased by a shutout performance in his lone appearance.

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