A trade involving Samuel Montembeault and the Canadiens? That's exactly what has just been put forward as a possibility
Even though he had an excellent season in 2022-2023, there's still a mystery surrounding Samuel Montembeault's future with the Canadiens.
The Quebecer will be in the final year of his contract in 2023-2024, and the arrival of Casey DeSmith within the organization has led some CH fans to question Kent Hughes' intentions towards his goaltender.
However, Hughes has reassured his goaltender that his position with the Canadiens is secure for the upcoming season, as he called Montembeault's agent as soon as the trade was confirmed.
Nevertheless, discussions between the Canadiens and Montembeault's camp don't seem to have progressed over the past few weeks, and a well-known insider has raised an interesting point about the future of number 35 in Montreal.
Here are the remarks from Max Truman on the matter:
Truman brings up an interesting perspective, as for now, there's nothing indicating that Montembeault will be the clear-cut number one goaltender for the Canadiens in the upcoming season, as he's expected to share the workload with Jake Allen.
Could Samuel Montembeault's performance in the 2023-2024 season impact negotiations for a new contract?
That's very possible, as Allen will be starting his new two-season contract, and there are already trade rumors circulating around him.
This could indeed have an impact on Montembeault's situation going forward. If he manages to become the true number one for the Canadiens in the 2023-2024 season, negotiations between Kent Hughes and the camp of the hometown goaltender could accelerate from there.
However, if he doesn't get what he desires, it might lead to considering that Samuel Montembeault could become available on the trade market, and certain teams could be highly interested in his services, especially given his relatively low salary of just 1 million dollars.
Credit: TVA Sports
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, what will happen with Samuel Montembeault? | ||
| Will sign with Montreal | 758 | 77.3 % |
| Traded before deadline | 157 | 16 % |
| Will quit as a UFA next summer | 66 | 6.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
