Samuel Montembeault just handed the Montreal Canadiens exactly the kind of tape they needed heading into a crowded goaltending decision.
The 29-year-old stopped all 13 shots he faced against Toronto in Saturday's preseason opener before Kaapo Kahkonen took over. Montreal won 4-1.
Montembeault posted a rough .873 save percentage across 25 games last season, going 5-8-2 in a difficult year that saw both Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler pass him on the depth chart.
Dobes posted a .901 save percentage in 43 games and has already established himself as the clear No. 1, recently signing a three-year extension beginning in 2027-28.
Fowler posted a .908 save percentage in 17 games, young, cheap, and waiver exempt, giving Montreal every reason to keep developing him regardless of what happens with Montembeault.
GM Kent Hughes has made clear Montreal doesn't want to carry three goalies once the regular season actually starts.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli predicted Montembeault could be the first player traded this season, a forecast that gained real weight after Saturday's clean outing.
Why one strong period changes the negotiating conversation
Thirteen saves in September doesn't erase a full season of struggles. But it shifts the question from whether Montembeault can rebound to whether that rebound is already starting.
Montembeault still carries a manageable $3,150,000 cap hit, with only this season remaining before unrestricted free agency, reducing risk for any team that acquires him.
Montreal projects roughly $2,780,000 in cap space right now with all three goalies on the roster. Moving Montembeault cleanly would push that number up toward $5,800,000 before filling his roster spot.
The better Samuel Montembeault performs during the preseason, the more valuable he becomes as a potential trade asset for Kent Hughes.
Strong performances could not only increase his value around the league but also draw more interest from teams looking for help in net, potentially giving the Canadiens more options if Hughes decides to explore the trade market.
Montreal finished 48-24-10 for 106 points this season, sixth overall, giving Hughes real leverage to wait rather than accept a discount return just to clear the logjam.
Goaltending markets shift fast around the league. An injury elsewhere could create a buyer that didn't exist a week earlier, and every clean Montembeault outing between now and opening night adds to that leverage.
Saturday wasn't proof a trade is imminent. But it may have been the first real step toward making one considerably easier to complete.
Should the Canadiens trade Samuel Montembeault before the season starts?
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