Trade speculation is Montreal’s favorite pastime. The moment a young goaltender flashes NHL upside, the panic button gets dusted off. With Jakub Dobeš proving he can hold his own at the NHL level and top prospect Jacob Fowler knocking on the door, the narrative writes itself: the Canadiens have too many goalies, and Samuel Montembeault has to go.

Coming off a tough season where his numbers dipped and the heavy workload took its toll, Montembeault is frequently branded as the odd man out. To some, trading him is just clearing runway.

To anyone paying attention to the operational realities of the modern NHL, trading Montembeault right now would be a massive mistake.

Today, counting on just two reliable goaltenders is barely enough to survive. Montreal’s current triad—Montembeault, Dobeš, and Fowler—is not an inconvenient logjam. It is a necessary strategic safety net.

The Macro Shift: NHL Goalie Usage Since 2023

The era of a Martin Brodeur or Miikka Kiprusoff starting 70 games a season is long gone. Over the last three seasons, the vast majority of NHL teams have played at least three different goaltenders every single year, per NHL.com’s official stats. The numbers speak for themselves:

• 2023–24: 25 teams used 3+ goalies (6 teams used 4+)
• 2024–25: 27 teams used 3+ goalies (14 teams used 4+)
• 2025–26: 24 teams used 3+ goalies (9 teams used 4+)

The math is simple. Offenses are explosive, the schedule is condensed, and the reverse-VH technique puts heavy biomechanical strain on hips, groins, and knees. In an 84-game regular season grind, the physical toll is heavier than ever.

When a starter goes down in November, teams without an experienced third option don’t just lose games—their entire season can slip away. Vegas used five goalies to win the Stanley Cup in 2023, while Florida, Carolina, and Toronto have all had to lean on depth netminders during critical stretches. Crease stability is no longer about finding one savior; it is about organizational depth.

The 5 Operational Realities of Modern Crease Depth

Why are general managers prioritizing three-man depth? It comes down to five distinct realities:

1. Workload & Durability Management: Regular-season tandem splits (50/34 or 45/39 games) are the standard. Having an accessible third option gives the primary starter complete recovery days during brutal four-games-in-six-nights stretches. In an 84-game schedule, workload preservation is mandatory.
2. Injury Insulation: Goalie injuries are a statistical certainty. Losing your starter for three weeks without an NHL-caliber backup can cost six to eight crucial standings points—often the exact difference between making the playoffs and missing out.
3. Performance Swings: Goaltender performance is volatile. Even star netminders hit rough patches. Real internal depth provides immediate competition and a reliable plan B.
4. Gradual Development: Forcing a 21- or 22-year-old into heavy NHL minutes behind a developing blue line can ruin confidence and form. Young goalies need protected runway.
5. Waiver Asset Economics: Quality goaltenders rarely slip through waivers unclaimed. Exposing a capable netminder just to balance roster numbers is handing an asset to a rival for free.

Kent Hughes Has Played This Hand Before

If there is one GM who understands the patience needed to manage a goalie logjam, it is Kent Hughes.

Look back at 2023–24. Montreal entered the year carrying Montembeault, Jake Allen, and Cayden Primeau on one-way NHL deals. For nearly five months, Hughes held firm. He knew placing Primeau on waivers meant losing him for nothing, and selling low on Allen in October would yield minimal return. Hughes waited out the market until the trade deadline, securing draft capital for Allen while protecting his depth. Montreal does not trade out of panic.

Under Kent Hughes, the Canadiens have deployed a minimum of three goaltenders in each of the last four seasons: Jake Allen, Samuel Montembeault, Cayden Primeau, Jakub Dobeš, and Jacob Fowler. Multi-goalie deployment is already standard operating procedure for this front office.

The Current Market: A Strange Standoff in Net

The current NHL goalie landscape is unusual. Several teams are actively searching for netminding help, yet the UFA market still holds several capable veterans who haven’t received a deal. Petr Mrázek’s season ended early in Anaheim after hip surgery. James Reimer, fresh off helping backstop the Senators into the playoffs, is still waiting on his next contract. Connor Ingram rescued Edmonton’s crease mid-season last year, but the Oilers didn’t retain him—they signed Frederik Andersen in free agency instead. Cam Talbot and Matt Murray round out the list of unsigned names.

Despite that available depth, pressure is mounting in specific markets. The Columbus Blue Jackets recently lost Elvis Merzlikins for several months after shoulder surgery, and the Edmonton Oilers are perpetually on the hunt for reliable netminding.

Columbus could easily pick up the phone and ask about Montembeault. However, expect Montreal to wait until much later in the season before making any move.

Caution is crucial here. Behind Montembeault, Dobeš, and Fowler, Montreal’s depth falls off quickly. If Monty gets dealt, the organization only has Kaapo Kähkönen in Laval as immediate insulation. Trading Montembeault today leaves the Canadiens one twisted knee away from a full-blown emergency in net.

The Verdict: Depth Is Currency

Trading Samuel Montembeault today would relieve temporary roster pressure, but it creates a massive structural risk. It would leave the Canadiens one groin pull away from being forced to rush Jacob Fowler into NHL action before he has established his pro game in Laval.

In an 84-game league where nearly every franchise relies on three netminders to survive, having three legitimate options is an advantage, not a problem. Unless another club comes calling with an overwhelming offer, Kent Hughes will stick to what works: protect the net, safeguard the young guys, and let depth do its job.