"Forever": Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault got engaged this weekend
The Montreal Canadiens will have a motivated goaltender between the pipes this upcoming season.
Sam Montembeault, who signed a three-year contract extension with the Canadiens last season, proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Daryanne Ayotte, over the weekend. Ayotte announced this on her Instagram story.
It appears Montembeault went the whole nine yards for the proposal, doing so beachside during what appears to be quite a romantic picnic.
Congratulations to Samuel Montembeault & his fiancĆ©e Daryanne Ayotte on their engagement š ā„ļø pic.twitter.com/r6kZYxUhrU
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 7, 2024
The 27-year-old Montembeault becomes the latest member of the Canadiens to propose or get married to their partner. New trade acquisition Patrik Laine recently popped the question, as did Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki.Ā
Teammates Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, and Josh Anderson all tied the knot earlier in the summer.
For the first time in his career, Montembeault will enter next season as the team’s de facto starting goaltender. This comes after a rotating cast of goalies last season that included himself, veteran Jake Allen, and youngster Cayden Primeau.
Despite the Canadiens failing to make the playoffs again, Montembeault showed some encouraging signs between the pipes last season. He appeared in 41 games and put up a 16-15-9 record alongside a .903 save percentage.
With the stress of having to share the net and fight for the starter’s position now lifted off his shoulders, there is potential for Montembeault to put up his best numbers yet next season. Add that alongside the exciting additions of Laine and potentially youngster Ivan Demidov, there are plenty of reasons for optimism among Habs going into the new season.
With September officially here, they won’t have to wait long to see the Canadiens take to the ice.