Report: Canadiens' Montembeault linked to Edmonton Oilers
The Montreal Canadiens have had success in selecting goaltenders through the draft, as Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler have turned out to be great players in the postseason.
The ascent of those two prospects into the NHL has left one odd-man out in Montreal, and that is Samuel Montembeault. According to a report from Maxime Truman on X, the Oilers have checked in on the Canadiens former starting goalie.
🥅 Selon mes informations, les Oilers auraient un intérêt important envers Samuel Montembeault.
— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) June 16, 2026
Attention : les Oilers ne sont pas les seuls à avoir appelé le CH pour Montembeault et ce dernier n'est pas le seul gardien sur leur radar.
Cependant, il y a clairement un chemin qui…
Truman would expand upon his thoughts of a trade between the Oilers and Canadiens for Montembeault, with the teams' pending UFAs creating a hole in the lineup:
“I’ve learned that the Oilers have a strong interest in Samuel Montembeault . They aren’t the only ones, and Montembeault isn’t the only candidate on their list, but there’s clearly a path that could lead to a trade. We’ll know more in the coming days…n Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram will become unrestricted free agents on July 1st. Jarry is therefore the only goaltender currently under contract with the Oilers (along with Nathaniel Day, Samuel Jonsson, and Matt Tomkins, all of whom didn’t play in the NHL in 2025-26). Will Montembeault form a duo with Tristan Jarry in September? … Everything will depend on the price demanded by Kent Hughes (for a goaltender claimed off waivers, it should be noted) and the other candidates offered to the Oilers. Is Montembeault’s value positive? Negative? High? Zero? No, we won’t get Connor McDavid in exchange for Samuel Montembeault, even by adding Oliver Kapanen, Bryce Pickford and a second-round pick!”
Montembeault fell from grace this season, playing a total of 25 games in the NHL, with a record of 10-8-4, a 3.43 goals-against average, and a .872 save percentage. In December, he was assigned to the AHL's Laval Rocket on a conditioning stint, playing two games and finishing the short stay with a record of 0-2-0, 2.53 GAA, and a .904 SV%.
Montembeault has one-year left on his $3.15 million average annual value deal, and could find himself on a new team depending on the trade market for the goaltender.
TSN's Pierre LeBrun predicted a trade nearly two weeks ago on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer:
“Samuel Montembeault is not going to play another game for the Montreal Canadiens and he’s under contract, so they’re going to have to move him,” said LeBrun on "Oilers Now" with Bob Stauffer. “He’s a backup at this point, I think, for someone.”
With the Stanley Cup champion crowned and the trade market opening up slowly, how soon till we see Montembeault being moved?
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