The Maple Leafs' Stolarz, Canadiens' Montembeault and Flames' Wolf haven't had the start that was expected of them.
It can be a big surprise when NHL goaltenders who are expected to perform well suddenly become a shell of themselves.
Early in the 2025-26 season, there are few names trending in the wrong direction.
In Calgary, Dustin Wolf is coming off a great rookie season but has been anything but the Calder candidate he was in 2024-25. Anthony Stolarz signed an extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was expected to take on a bigger role. It hasn’t gone well. Montreal Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault was a candidate for Team Canada, but now, his chances look less likely.
What’s going on with these goaltenders?
Anthony Stolarz
Stolarz has not performed as well as he did last season when he had a .926 save percentage and 2.14 goals-against average.
He is 2-4-1 on the season, with a 3.31 GAA and .885 SP. He hasn't handled the pressure of taking over the starter's job well with Joseph Woll out.
The 31-year-old also learned the hard way that what you say in a market like Toronto is dissected to a degree he's not accustomed to, which happened when he called out his teammates for not backchecking on a game-losing goal against.
Stolarz got Saturday's game off, with Dennis Hildeby backing up Cayden Primeau in a win over the Buffalo Sabres. But the team likely can’t wait for Woll to return to action and help take some of the pressure off Stolarz's shoulders.
What's Changed For Dustin Wolf And The Flames?
Eric Cruikshank dives into the advanced statistics behind the Calgary Flames' approach with Dustin Wolf and their young forwards.
Dustin Wolf
Wolf's had a tough month in Calgary after signing a seven-year contract extension. The team is 2-7-1, and he's 2-6-1 on the season with a 3.37 GAA and a .886 save percentage.
“It’s tough. I can’t generate offense,” Wolf said after a recent loss. “I do my job. I try to keep the puck out of our net, and hope that our guys can generate a couple.”
They aren't scoring, but in their defense, Wolf hasn’t been consistently keeping the puck out like he did last season. He's second-last in the NHL for goals saved above expected, at minus-5.1, according to moneypuck.com.
Wolf’s a great player who was their MVP last year, but his start to his season was as bad as everyone else on the team, making his comments raise eyebrows.
The only bright spot is that Wolf is starting to bounce back. In three of his last four games, he didn't concede more than two goals, and his save percentage was .926 or better. One strong outing against the New York Rangers on Sunday brought up his goals saved above expected by two.
Sam Montembeault
Montembeault was on Team Canada's radar, but he's casting some doubt early this season that he's the guy Canada should include at the 2026 Olympics. That’s not ideal, especially given that Canada might already have one of the weaker goaltending crops to select from in the NHL.
The Canadiens are off to a solid 7-3 start this season, but those three losses came with the 28-year-old in net. He's 2-3 and has an .842 save percentage and 3.82 GAA.
Jakub Dobes is standing out for the Canadiens in a positive way, ranking second in the NHL with nine goals saved above expected, according to moneypuck.com. Montembeault sits dead-last, at minus-6.3.
The netminder's performance in net is a stark contrast to last year, when he ranked fifth in goals saved above expected, with 24.6. there's still plenty of time for him to turn it around, but in the meantime, the Habs may just need to ride the hot hand.
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