Canadiens' Crowded Crease Could Force Trade Before Opening Night
Hughes Rules Out Carrying Three
Speaking to media at the Canadiens' golf tournament, Hughes made his position clear when asked about carrying Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler all at once.
"To start training camp, more than three goalies, yes, but to start the season probably not," Hughes said.
Samuel Montembeault a bien paru durant l’exercice à deux contre le gardien.
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 9, 2026
À noter que les joueurs en survêtement étaient Filip Mesar et Jared Davidson.@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #Montembeault #NHL pic.twitter.com/vp4RyuWnOR
He was even clearer in a separate conversation with Tony Marinaro, essentially ruling out the arrangement continuing once games start counting.
It's an interesting stance given that Montreal actually carried three goalies for stretches of last season without disaster, but Hughes appears to have learned from that experience rather than potentially repeating it.
Dobes' spot looks completely safe at this point.
After an incredible Stanley Cup playoff run last spring, he signed a three-year, $16 million extension carrying a $5.3 million average annual value over the summer, making him the clear No. 1 heading into training camp.
That leaves Montembeault and Fowler competing for what amounts to a single roster spot as the backup.
Fowler's Waiver Exemption Makes Him The Easy Out
Fowler is the only one of the three who can be sent to Laval without needing to clear waivers, which makes him the path of least resistance if Montreal simply wants to keep its two established NHL goaltenders and let its prospect keep developing at the AHL level.
The complicating factor is that Fowler was excellent in his limited NHL run last season, posting a .908 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average that both topped what Montembeault managed, and he took over the No. 2 job outright during the stretch run and Montreal's playoff push.
Montembeault, meanwhile, is entering the final year of his contract at a $3.15 million cap hit after a rough 2025-26 campaign that saw his numbers fall to a career-worst .872 save percentage and 3.43 goals-against average across 25 games.
Jakub Dobes (@CanadiensMTL) makes his debut and kicks off NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies Right Now list!
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 16, 2026
📺: #NHLTopPlayers on NHL Network pic.twitter.com/7t7Y9oivSN
He's been the subject of trade speculation dating back to the spring, though nothing has materialized so far, and the reality of the current goaltending market is that demand for a backup-caliber netminder rarely matches supply.
Nothing reported so far suggests Hughes is shopping any of the three names right now.
What is clear is that camp will function as an audition, with performance likely deciding whether Montembeault holds off Fowler for the No. 2 job, whether Fowler heads to Laval regardless of how well he plays, or whether a trade materializes for Montembeault if his stock rises during the preseason.
