The Montreal Canadiens do not have a bona fide No. 1 goalie going into next season.
What they do have, though, is a bit of a logjam between the pipes. After acquiring American netminder Casey DeSmith in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month, the Habs’ goalie trio of Jake Allen, Sam Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau, became a foursome.
With four NHL-caliber goalies looking for ice time, and plenty more coming up in their development system, it appears that a trade involving at least one netminder may be on the horizon.
Here’s who could be moved to make some room.
Jake Allen
Age: 33
Cap hit: $3.85 million
2022-2023 stats: 3.55 GAA, .891 SV%
Jake Allen arrived in Montreal via trade back in 2020. His first season, which resulted in an epic run to the Stanley Cup Final, saw him backing up Carey Price.
But as Price’s injuries acted up, Allen was tasked with taking on the majority of games
The 33-year-old has done a respectable job in the position. While he remains dependable, his numbers have steadily declined in recent years.
If Montreal wants to retain some value for the veteran, the time to trade him would be soon.
Samuel Montembeault
Age: 26
Cap hit: $1 million
2022-2023 stats: 3.42 GAA, .901 SV%
Claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers in 2021, Montembeault first took on the role of third-string goalie, eventually becoming backup to Allen.
That role evolved last season, though, with Montembeault and Allen splitting the crease down the middle. The Becancour, Quebec, native even finished the year with slightly better numbers all around, leading many to believe he could be a starter.
That idea was further supported by Montembeault’s stellar performance as Canada’s starter at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in May, which saw him take home a gold medal.
As of now, Montembeault is the most likely candidate to claim the Habs’ No. 1 spot, meaning a trade involving him is unlikely.
Cayden Primeau
Age: 24
Cap hit: $890,000
2022-2023 stats: 3.46 GAA, .825 SV%
A seventh-round pick in the 2017 draft, Cayden Primeau has had a few good seasons over the past few years. Unfortunately, they’ve all been with the Habs’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
Despite looking promising at that level, the Michigan native has struggled every time he’s been called up to the Canadiens. Over 17 NHL starts, Primeau has only mustered three wins between the pipes.
With a career GAA of 4.11, Primeau might be looking at a last-chance scenario with Montreal.
Casey DeSmith
Age: 32
Cap hit: $1.8 million
2022-2023 stats: 3.17 GAA, .905 SV%
Casey DeSmith was seemingly acquired as an add-on in a trade that saw Montreal offload forwards Rem Pitlick and Mike Hoffman in exchange for a prospect, a draft pick and Jeff Petry — who was flipped to the Detroit Red Wings soon after.
With that said, the American netminder posted better stats last season than anyone in Montreal. If Allen is dealt, the Canadiens could keep the slightly younger, less expensive DeSmith.
Still, the fact that the New Hampshire native has not met or spoken with the Montreal media leads many to believe he will be the odd one out.
Follow Channels and Categories