We know the Canadiens’ management team of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes has a plan. The fact the team is ahead of schedule in its rebuild, making it to the Eastern Conference final last season, serves as ample proof.
Why then, midway through July, do three goaltenders — Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler and Samuel Montembeault — remain on the roster? That’s one off-season question that remains unanswered for now.
“I was actually a little surprised (Montembeault) is still there, given the need for teams to see if there’s an improvement at the goaltending position,” TSN analyst Frankie Corrado told The Gazette. “I don’t know why that didn’t come to be. Are teams being picky? Or the phone never rang? Montreal didn’t like an offer? It’s hard to say.
“In a perfect world I think they’d like to have their guys nailed down. They have some familiarity with a three goaltender … I’m not going to call it a rotation, but life with three goaltenders. If anyone knows how to navigate it, it would be them. But it’s not an ideal situation.”
Heading into the summer, it appeared the Canadiens were going to ride with youth, hitching their wagon to Dobes and Fowler — and rightfully so.
Dobes, 25, was one of the main reasons the Canadiens made it to the final four before succumbing in five games to the Carolina Hurricanes, the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
Management clearly values what he brings, signing Dobes to a three-year, US$16.07-million contract extension on July 2. The deal takes effect for the 2027-28 season and should mean Dobes remains with Montreal through 2029-30.
But Dobes can’t play every game. If he’s the Canadiens’ No. 1 netminder, which seems likely, who backs him up?
Logically, that should be Fowler, still only 21, and the guy who appeared to be the franchise’s goalie of the future — until Dobes might have scuttled those plans.
Fowler played 17 games for the Canadiens last season — recalled prematurely when Montembeault couldn’t stop a beach ball — and acquitted himself well, going 9-6-2 with a 2.43 average and .908 save percentage. He also produced the team’s only shutout. Fowler appears ready for the NHL.
Fowler also played 27 games for Laval and was stellar at the minor-league level. He had a 19-7-1 record, 2.23 average and .916 save percentage, along with three shutouts. Had Fowler been made available to the Rocket for the AHL playoffs, the team probably would have advanced beyond its opening round series — a five-game loss to the eventual champions from Toronto. Instead, it relied on the inconsistent Kaapo Kahkonen.
Fowler, who is still on his entry-level contract, could be assigned to Laval next season without clearing waivers. But that raises potential issues. Would playing a lot of games in the minors help his development more than assuming a backup role in Montreal, where he could play and practise with NHL players every day? Would he lack motivation if he returns to the Rocket? That scenario would also mean the Canadiens have faith that Montembeault, who really struggled last season, will regain his form from 2024-25, when he had a 2.82 average, .902 save percentage and four shutouts in 62 games.
“If you send Fowler back to the minors, is he too good? Bored? Is he stimulated? Does he need to be in the NHL based on his skill level?” Corrado asked. “I think he’s right there. I think he’s an NHL goaltender today.
“It’s not an ideal situation. Dobes is your guy. You want to see him play the same way he did. Fowler deserves to be in the NHL. Are you going to try and sneak Montembeault through waivers? If the phone didn’t ring, maybe there’s a chance you could sneak him through waivers.”
Former Canadien Chris Nilan, a regular contributor to The Gazette’s Hockey Inside/Out show, also believes management will be making a mistake if Dobes and Fowler aren’t their goalies next season.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do, but I don’t know how you can (keep Dobes and Montembeault),” Nilan told The Gazette. “Fowler is an up and comer. He’s got good stock. There’s potential there. I’d think I’d want both (Dobes and Fowler) there. If one needs a break or if one isn’t playing well, they’d push each other.
“Keep them happy by splitting the games. You have to earn it every night. If you have one kid pushing the other and he’s hot, instead of playing them in back-to-back games, you put the other one in. You have two really good goalies now. The potential of Fowler’s really good. Technically he’s solid. Being down in Laval? He’s got to play in the NHL, not back in Laval.”
Montembeault is only 29. He should still be in the prime of his career. We don’t believe a goalie, or any player, who has yet to hit 30 suddenly forgets how to play his position based on one poor season. And with a cap hit of US$3.15 million heading into the final year of his contract, Montembeault hardly would be a financial burden for any team.
Every NHL general manager believes they can fix a player. Former Canadiens first-round draft choice Alex Galchenyuk played for seven teams, including Arizona twice. Surely there must be a spot in the NHL for Montembeault — be it in Montreal or elsewhere.
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