Can Sam Montembeault prove his doubters wrong and bounce back?
The 2025-26 season was a rough one for Montreal Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault. In 25 games this past campaign for the Habs, the 29-year-old posted an .873 save percentage and a 3.43 goals-against average.
Montembeault's struggles last season led him dropping from the Canadiens' starting goalie to their third-string spot. He also had a conditioning stint with the Laval Rocket back in December.
With all of this, it was a year to forget for Montembeault. Now, the 2015 third-round pick is ready for his revenge tour and will be looking to prove to his doubters that this past season was a fluke. That remains the case whether he starts the season with the Canadiens or ends up being traded elsewhere.
There is reason to believe that Montembeault can turn things around next season. Just back during the 2024-25 season with Montreal, he posted a 31-24-7 record, a .901 save percentage, a 2.82 goals-against average, and four shutouts. He also had a .901 save percentage or better in each of his three seasons before the 2025-26 campaign.
Montembeault also has extra motivation to get things back on track. This is because he is entering a contract year and is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). Players often have strong seasons during contract years, and it will be interesting to see if Montembeault can do just that from here.
