Darren Dreger said this morning that Kent Hughes has talked with teams about Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault.
Montreal has three goalies, and Montembeault is the one on the outside looking in. He has played 2 games this season, while Jacob Fowler has 11 and Jakub Dobes has 7.
Dreger said he doesn't know whether the conversations happened in the last few days, but over the last few weeks, clubs have been asking about the 30-year-old.
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That's where the report stops, at least in the post. It names no team and no price, and nothing suggests a deal is close. What's clear is that the interest exists and that the Canadiens GM has been willing to listen.
Montembeault is also listed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, expected out until at least Nov 12, according to the latest injury report. Any club calling about him is asking about a goalie who isn't playing right now.
Fowler is the young half of the tandem. The 21-year-old, a third-round pick in 2023, stopped 22 of 24 shots Tuesday in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Wild. We looked at Jacob Fowler's bond with Carey Price after he beat the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Dobes, 25, has 66 career games behind him and sits comfortably as the other piece of the picture. Earlier this month, we covered Jakub Dobes's odd icing request on the power play.
Why a Montembeault trade makes sense for Montreal
Montreal is 11-3-4 and fifth in the NHL, and it got there with Fowler and Dobes carrying the crease. Montembeault's $3,150,000 cap hit is the biggest of the three goalies, and he is an unrestricted free agent at season's end.
Fowler is on an entry-level deal through 2027-28, and Dobes has an extension signed. Montembeault is the only one with no future on the books in Montreal.
That makes him the easiest asset to move. A third goalie on an expiring contract, with two younger options already winning games, is a luxury, and Hughes would be foolish not to listen to every offer once the injury clears.
Montembeault's earliest possible return date is Nov 12, the same day the Canadiens visit Boston. Dreger's report didn't get to the end of his thought, so the next detail may decide how fast this moves.
More to come.
Quick hits
LOS ANGELES KINGS: Drew Doughty was absent from Kings practice today, adding a new wrinkle to a story fans have been watching closely. No reason was given in the report we have, so for now it's a question mark.
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PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Dan Muse said this afternoon that Sergei Murashov will start in goal for the Penguins tonight in San Jose. The young goalie gets the call on the road.
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DALLAS STARS: Owen Newkirk reported that Miro Heiskanen will not play Thursday as the Stars host the Winnipeg Jets. Dallas is hopeful he's back for the weekend, so the absence looks short.
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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Kyle Davidson spoke to reporters for the first time since September and took full accountability for his team's awful start. Accountability is a start, but fans will want changes on the ice.
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ANAHEIM DUCKS: Joel Quenneville says Ian Moore "could be playing by the end of the week," per Derek_Lee27. That's good news for a Ducks lineup waiting on him.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Canadiens trade Samuel Montembeault before the deadline?
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