Samuel Montembeault reveals why he declined the invitation from HC
At the end of the season review, the Montreal Canadiens' goaltender, Samuel Montembeault, made an announcement that surprised many fans.
Indeed, the Quebec goaltender confirmed that he had declined the invitation from Hockey Canada to participate in the World Championship in Czechia this summer, even though the competition had allowed him to gain experience and improve during the last summer period.
It is especially noteworthy that the 27-year-old goalie was a key player in winning the gold medal, finishing the tournament with a record of six wins and one loss. He also posted solid statistics with a goals-against average of 1.42 and a save percentage of 0.939.
Although the leaders of the Tricolore have never wanted to confirm it, we are convinced that his performances on the international stage played a significant role in his three-year contract extension worth $9.45 million, signed with the Habs on December 1st last year.
Knowing that his presence with the Canadian team was greatly beneficial to him last summer, many fans were therefore surprised to see him decline this offer this year. However, in a recent interview with Stu Cowan, the CH's number 35 agreed to reveal the real reasons behind this decision.
Indeed, Monty stated that after a long season, having reached a personal high with 41 starts this year, he wanted more time to rest, but also to train for the 2024-2025 campaign. After playing nearly 50% of the regular season in a goaltending trio, he knows full well that he will have the opportunity to play more games next year, hence the importance of arriving at training camp in top form.
This might explain why the goaltender seemed exhausted towards the end of the year, having extended his season and thus reduced his training time last summer. This could also explain why he experienced a slump towards the end, collecting only four wins in his last 17 appearances.
Moreover, like Nick Suzuki who took advantage of his vacation to travel with his sweetheart, having notably proposed last night, Samuel Montembeault would like to take some time off to visit Europe with his girlfriend.
Honestly, even though we would have liked to see Samuel Montembeault defend the Canadian net this summer, we are very happy to see that he is prioritizing his training for the upcoming season. With Jake Allen moving to New Jersey, he will certainly have an even more important role in 2024-2025, hence the importance of him arriving in top form.
| POLL | ||
Do you believe that Samuel Montembeault will be able to lead the Montreal Canadiens to the playoffs next year? | ||
| Yes | 346 | 62.9 % |
| No | 204 | 37.1 % |
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