Habs Mailbag: Canadiens' Sam Montembeault can be a No. 1 goalie

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Anticipate Lane Hutson to begin season in NHL, whereas Florian Xhekaj may very well be a call-up from Laval and Ivan Demidov scenario stays unsure.

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Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette

Printed Jul 19, 2024 • Final up to date 6 hours in the past • 4 minute learn

Canadiens’ Samuel Montembeault will get showered by ice throughout a recreation on the Bell Centre in February. The Habs’ No. 1 goalie completed the season with a 16-15-9 document, a 3.14 goals-against common and a .903 save proportion. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

The Habs will want sturdy goaltending to maneuver nearer to a playoff spot. Are you assured that Sam Montembeault will have the ability to deal with the job?

Paul Martin

I consider Montembeault can deal with the duties of being a No. 1 goalie in at present’s NHL.

Instances have modified since Carey Worth performed in a career-high 72 video games for the Canadiens in 2010-11, together with 70 begins. Worth additionally made 66 begins in 2014-15 when he gained the Hart Trophy as league MVP and the Vézina Trophy as the highest goalie after posting a 44-16-6 document with a 1.96 goals-against common and a .933 save proportion. Final season there have been solely 14 goalies within the NHL who made greater than 50 begins and solely three who made 60 or extra — Nashville’s Juuse Saros (64), Colorado’s Alexandar Georgiev (63) and Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck (60).

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Montembeault made solely 40 begins final season due to the three-goalie rotation with Cayden Primeau and Jake Allen, who was ultimately dealt to the New Jersey Devils. I can see Montembeault making 50 begins subsequent season and I consider he can deal with that workload with Primeau as his backup. With a younger defence, the playoffs shall be an extended shot at finest, however Montembeault ought to have the ability to give the Canadiens an opportunity to win on most nights.

Which of the next gamers do you suppose performs probably the most NHL video games subsequent season: Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux or David Reinbacher? Additionally, points-wise, what would Habs brass think about to be a practical, profitable season? I feel followers could be pleased with a Purple Wings/Flyers “step ahead” — taking part in some significant video games down the stretch whereas not fairly making the playoffs.

Paul Starke

I’d be very shocked if Hutson doesn’t begin the season with the Canadiens and I count on him to play extra video games than Mailloux or Reinbacher. I feel administration would love Reinbacher to play a full season within the AHL — like Mailloux did final season — as he adjusts to the smaller North American rink. I feel Mailloux may have an opportunity to play extra NHL video games subsequent season than Reinbacher.

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As for the second query, until GM Kent Hughes makes a commerce to amass one other top-six ahead, I don’t see the Canadiens taking part in significant video games down the stretch subsequent season. This administration workforce is prepared to be affected person and would in all probability settle for one other excessive draft decide subsequent 12 months. However I consider followers’ endurance will begin to wear down if the Canadiens end close to the underside of the general NHL standings for a fourth straight 12 months.

Are you able to see Florian Xhekaj being known as up this 12 months if the Canadiens want a spark?

Don Marcellus

That wouldn’t shock me. Xhekaj had a robust growth camp and confirmed final season that he can rating objectives, together with having a bodily presence, as he posted 34-31-65 totals in 63 video games final season with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. I count on Xhekaj to begin the season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket however may see him close to the highest of the listing in the case of call-ups if (when?) there are accidents with the Canadiens.

How probably is it that Ivan Demidov begins the season in Montreal/Laval?

Morgan Hynes

It’s laborious to foretell something that may occur with Russian gamers and the KHL. As of now I count on Demidov will play out the ultimate 12 months of his contract with St. Petersburg, however that would change.

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“This season arising, he’s beneath contract at St. Petersburg,” Hughes mentioned after taking Demidov with the No. 5 total decide at this 12 months’s NHL Draft. “If he’s taking part in within the KHL, that’s an excellent atmosphere for him for a 12 months. If he’s not within the KHL, we must see what our choices are.”

If St. Petersburg doesn’t maintain Demidov with the KHL workforce, count on the Canadiens to enter negotiations to determine a switch payment for him just like the Philadelphia Flyers did this summer time with Matvei Michkov, the No. 7 decide eventually 12 months’s draft. Michkov will now play for the Flyers subsequent season. If the Canadiens have been to achieve negotiating a switch payment with St. Petersburg, I’d count on Demidov to additionally play within the NHL subsequent season.

Do you suppose {that a} line with Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak and Brendan Gallagher might produce subsequent 12 months or will Hughes need youthful gamers on the third line?

Guillaume Bédard Lamarche

Anderson, Dvorak and Gallagher may have a mixed salary-cap hit of US$16.45 million subsequent season, so Hughes will certainly be trying to get some bang for the buck from the three veterans, who will in all probability make up the third line to begin the season until the GM is ready to make a commerce involving certainly one of them. That appears unlikely. Anderson (US$5.5 million) and Gallagher (US$6.5 million) each have three seasons left on their contracts, whereas Dvorak (US$4.45 million) has one.

I can see 20-year-old Joshua Roy shifting forward of that trio to take a spot on the second line.

Stu Cowan is occurring trip and the Habs Mailbag will return in late August. Within the meantime, you may proceed to e-mail inquiries to montrealcanadiens@postmedia.com

scowan@postmedia.com

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