Oilers' Goaltending Plan In Jeopardy, Reopening Old Trade Target

The Edmonton Oilers thought they'd fixed their goaltending problem when they signed Frederik Andersen in free agency. 

An offseason training injury just reopened the entire situation, and Montreal Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault is right back on Edmonton's radar.

Per The Hockey News' Karine Hains, the Oilers have been linked to Montembeault again after confirming Andersen will miss training camp with an injury suffered during offseason training. 

Edmonton entered the summer with three NHL-ready goaltenders in Andersen, Tristan Jarry, and Devon Levi, a depth chart that suddenly looks a lot less settled.

New Oilers goalie Frederik Andersen is expected to be out until late October after suffering an injury during an offseason workout, per @TSNRyanRishaug 😬

Edmonton will likely start the season with a goaltending tandem of Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi. pic.twitter.com/C7ktB84s0K

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) August 27, 2026

Rumor That Never Fully Went Away

This isn't a new connection. 

Insider Maxime Truman first reported back in June that Edmonton had significant interest in Montembeault, before the Oilers pivoted and signed Andersen instead. 

Truman was careful to note even then that the Oilers weren't alone in their interest and that Montembeault wasn't the only goalie on their list, but Andersen's injury has clearly put the file back on the table.

Marco D'Amico on The Starr & D'Amico Show about Sam Montembeault: ''I think moving Sam Montembeault in his contract year so he can hope to get a NHL deal for next year is probably the most humane thing that the Canadiens can do in this situation. And if Hellebuyck gets traded… pic.twitter.com/khvKCRrFPn

— R i N K Y (@RinkyReport) August 29, 2026

The timing carries extra weight given Connor Hellebuyck's now-public trade request in Winnipeg, noting the Jets have also emerged as a potential suitor for Montembeault as the goaltender trade market shifts around the league.

Montreal Wants This Done

Montembeault posted a rough 2025-26 season, going 10-8-4 with a 3.43 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage across 25 games, a season that included a brief conditioning stint in the AHL. 

TSN's Pierre LeBrun said as far back as June that Montembeault's time in Montreal is effectively over. "He's a backup at this point, I think, for someone," LeBrun said on Oilers Now.

A Jarry-Montembeault tandem would carry a combined cap hit that fits comfortably within what Edmonton can manage, and with Montreal reportedly willing to move him for a modest return, a mid-round pick, a prospect, or a minor player swap, the cost shouldn't be a major obstacle if the two sides decide to move forward.

Sam Montembeault is taking in some men's #NBO26 quarterfinal action 🥅 pic.twitter.com/ABg4QTVAU8

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 12, 2026

Nothing is imminent, and Andersen's exact recovery timeline hasn't been made public. 

But with training camp closing in and Edmonton suddenly needing big answers in net again, the Oilers' interest in Montembeault looks a lot more urgent now than it did when Truman's report first surfaced back in June.