Montreal Canadiens Goalie Sam Montembeault Aiming to Bounce Back After Slow Start
The Montreal Canadiens had high hopes that goalie Sam Montembeault would take the next step this season. Montembeault was the Canadiens’ starting goalie last season, leading the team to the playoffs and even earning a spot on Canada’s 4 Nations team. However, the beginning of the 2025-26 NHL season has been a struggle for Montembeault.
With his performance faltering, Montembeault has committed to putting in extra work to get back on track. “Obviously not the best start so far, but we’re going to keep working to get to where we were at,” he said.
One major adjustment Montembeault noted was his perception of being too small in the net. To address this, he has been working on changing his stance. “That’s what we’ve been working on, getting over there and set and try to play bigger,” Montembeault explained. “I felt like during games I was shrinking a lot when guys were shooting or when I was trying to find pucks through screens. So I’m trying to work on that, trying to play bigger and work on my stance too—the most simple thing—because I feel like my hands were coming in front a bit.”
He added that he also noticed this issue during practice sessions and has actively started making the necessary changes. “I actually looked at myself in the glass the last practice,” Montembeault said. “Putting my blocker and my glove more outside and try to be more patient.” Although it may take some time to fully adapt, Montembeault is confident he will regain his form and help the Canadiens secure wins.
Canadiens Coach Confident in Montembeault’s Ability
Despite Montembeault’s slow start, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis remains confident in the young goalie. The team has relied more on Jakub Dobes as the starting goalie recently, while Montembeault works to regain his form.
“If you ask me if I’m worried, no, I’m not worried,” St. Louis said during a scrum. “Sam is a good goalie, he proved it last year. Without Sam, we wouldn’t be here last year. As a player, I’ve had starts like that, and it’s not like I’ve forgotten how to play hockey. Sam is going to be a big part of our success this year.”
St. Louis understands that goalies go through streaks and doesn’t expect Montembeault’s struggles to last all season. “I didn’t have a single idea in mind; we have two good goaltenders. Dobes is definitely having a good streak, but Monty is going to have streaks like that, too. We’re well equipped in front of the net,” he added.
Currently, Montembeault holds a 2-3 record with a 3.82 goals-against average (GAA) and a .842 save percentage (SV%) to start the season.
Montreal Focused on Making the Playoffs Again
The Canadiens made the playoffs last season, with the goal this year to not only return but to advance deeper into the postseason. After being eliminated by the Washington Capitals in the first round last year, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki emphasized the team’s objective ahead of the current season.
“My goal is to make the playoffs,” Suzuki said. “I said that last year and no one really took it that seriously, but I think as a group we really see ourselves there again.”
With Montembeault working hard to regain his form and the team focused on playoff success, the Canadiens are determined to build on last season’s achievements.
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