What it could cost Oilers to get goaltender Montembeault from Canadiens
It sounds like the trade winds are picking up steam for the Edmonton Oilers.
The team is desperately looking for a solution to their goaltending problem and it seems like Oilers GM Ken Holland has his sights set on the Montreal Canadiens.
Reports came out over the weekend that the Oilers have scouts watching all three Canadiens goalies — Jake Allen, Samuel Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman then reported in the latest 32 Thoughts podcast that the team was more interested in Montembeault and Primeau over Allen.
The more intriguing option would be Montembeault, who has a .908 save percentage so far this season. He is sharing the net with Allen as the team’s starter, with both having appeared in eight games.
TSN’s Darren Dreger is the latest to add fuel to the rumour as he reported on TSN 690 in Montreal that the two teams have been talking, speculating on a possible trade involving Montembeault and Oilers prospect Xavier Bourgault.
“If [Montreal is] having a conversation willing to trade Sam Montembeault, then the return coming back is going to be substantial,” said Dreger. “If we’re connecting the dots in Edmonton… we’re talking about Xavier Bourgault and maybe something else, I don’t know.
“Given where the Edmonton Oilers are, maybe you can make [the trade] a little more extravagant, maybe you can build it into something bigger. Do we say blockbuster? Maybe, I don’t know.”
Bourgault is among the top prospects in the Oilers prospect pipeline that hasn’t been able to crack the NHL lineup. Considering Montreal’s prowess in acquiring French Canadian talent, it’s easy to see why the Canadiens could have an added interest in acquiring Quebec-born Bourgault.
One thing that Dreger does know is that trade discussions between the two GMs have taken place.
“There is a good relationship between Kenny Holland and [Canadiens GM] Kent Hughes,” said Dreger. “They have talked a lot, I don’t know that they have talked in the last couple of days, but I think that maybe there is opportunity that goes beyond the obvious in goaltending.”
However, this isn’t concrete reporting that is guaranteeing a massive deal between the Oilers and Habs. As Dreger later pointed out, this is “pure, raw speculation” on his part. Though, even then, it does bring up an interesting possibility for the Oilers.
What else could the Canadiens have that Edmonton would want to add in a trade for Montembeault? Perhaps a forward like Brendan Gallagher or Josh Anderson, who may be aging out of the Canadiens’ rebuild plans could be dealt. If this were the case, Edmonton would almost certainly have to send goalie Jack Campbell to the Canadiens to make the money work.
What would Montreal ask in return? Bourgault and Campbell would surely not be enough to land both Montembeault and Gallagher. Perhaps a Ryan McLeod or Raphael Lavoie-type player alongside a first-round draft pick?
As the Oilers season quickly falls off the rails, Holland will have to be quick on any potential deal.
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