After only playing in two games after the trade deadline while being the third-string goalie after that, it looked as if Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault would likely be moving on this summer. With one season left on his contract with a $3.15MM AAV, there could have been a small market for him on the trade front as a low-cost flyer. However, that may not be the outcome after all. The Athletic’s Arpon Basu reports (subscription link) that there is a willingness on the organization’s part to hold onto the 29-year-old this offseason. Doing so would allow top prospect Jacob Fowler more time to play in the minors which might be best for his development at this point. Montembeault posted a 3.43 GAA and a .873 SV% in 25 games this season but had a save percentage just above .900 in each of the previous years. If they’re considering keeping the veteran, it suggests that the team feels he could bounce back next season.
More from Montreal:
- Also from Basu’s piece, he noted that talks have not started yet with pending restricted free agent Kirby Dach. The 25-year-old is coming off another injury-riddled year, one that saw him limited to just 37 games where he had eight goals and seven assists. Dach will be owed a $4MM qualifying offer by June 29th, one that carries arbitration eligibility. His performance may not warrant that but Basu notes that the team isn’t opposed to giving it to him if his situation isn’t resolved by then.
- One of Montreal’s draft picks from last year will have a new team next season. Earlier this week, Hayden Paupanekis announced on his Instagram page that he has committed to play at St. Cloud State. The center was the 69th pick last year and spent the season with WHL Kelowna where he had 37 points in 57 games. The Rockets were the host at the Memorial Cup but he didn’t record a point in three appearances. With the transfer, his signing timeline will be extended instead of expiring next June had he stayed in junior.
- Prospect defenseman Dmitri Kostenko is also on the move. KHL Spartak announced that they’ve traded the defenseman’s rights to Amur Khabarovsk. The 23-year-old was a third-round pick by Montreal back in 2021, going 87th overall. He has yet to play in North America and spent this season playing in Slovakia’s top level, picking up 18 points in 29 games with HK Nitra. Kostenko does have some KHL experience in the past, having spent 52 games with Kunlun back in 2022-23.
