Montembeault Injury Scare Creates an Early Concern for the Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens may have been dealt another early-season blow Wednesday, as goaltender Samuel Montembeault appeared to suffer an injury during practice. There is still plenty we do not know about the situation, including the severity of the injury and how much time, if any, Montembeault could miss. However, considering the Canadiens’ defensive struggles through the opening three games of the season, potentially losing one of their goaltenders is far from ideal.

Montembeault Goes Down at Practice

The concerning moment came during Wednesday’s practice when Montembeault appeared to suffer a non-contact injury. The Canadiens’ goaltender seemed to be dealing with an issue involving his leg, making it safe to characterize it as a lower-body injury until the team provides more information. Non-contact injuries are always concerning, especially for a goaltender given how much stress the position puts on the hips, knees and legs.

For now, however, there is little reason to speculate beyond what happened on the ice. The Canadiens will need to evaluate Montembeault and determine exactly what he is dealing with before there can be a clear timeline. Still, the timing could hardly be worse.

Montembeault entered the season with something to prove after a difficult 2025-26 campaign. With Jakub Dobes establishing himself as Montreal’s other NHL option and Jacob Fowler continuing to push toward the NHL, Montembeault needed a strong response.

He seemed to be providing one. The veteran enjoyed an encouraging preseason, allowing only one goal on 35 shots across three half-games. It was only preseason action, but he looked sharp, composed and ready to put last season behind him.

Seeing him potentially sidelined before getting much of an opportunity to carry that momentum into the regular season is unfortunate, especially considering the work he appeared to put in over the summer.

Canadiens Could Use Montembeault Right Now

Montembeault’s potential absence might hurt Montreal more than some initially believe. Dobes has emerged as the Canadiens’ primary option, and none of Montreal’s early defensive problems should be pinned on him. However, the Canadiens have allowed 14 goals through their first three games, highlighting some of the defensive issues that have followed them into the new season.

Montreal has turned the puck over too frequently and allowed far too many dangerous scoring opportunities. Until those issues are corrected, the Canadiens need their goaltenders to provide stability behind them.

Having two NHL goaltenders available would have helped. Montembeault’s strong preseason suggested he could provide Montreal with exactly that. Even if Dobes receives the majority of the starts, having Montembeault available allows Martin St. Louis to manage the workload and turn to another experienced option when necessary.

It is also worth remembering that goaltending depth can disappear quickly. Montembeault has played more than 200 NHL games, while Dobes is still establishing himself as a starter. Behind them, Fowler is one of the organization’s most exciting young players, but the Canadiens have been careful with his development.

Suddenly removing Montembeault from that equation would make Montreal’s situation considerably younger and less experienced.

What Happens if Montembeault Misses Time?

For now, patience is required. Until the Canadiens provide more information, there is no way of knowing whether Montembeault is dealing with something minor that keeps him out for a few days or an injury that could sideline him for considerably longer.

If he does miss time, though, Fowler would seemingly be the logical candidate to receive a call-up. The 21-year-old has already shown significant promise and appears to be Montreal’s goaltender of the future. An injury to Montembeault could accelerate his path back to the NHL and give the Canadiens a tandem of Dobes and Fowler for however long Montembeault is unavailable.

There is certainly excitement surrounding that possibility. A Dobes-Fowler tandem could potentially represent Montreal’s long-term future in net.

The Canadiens are already dealing with defensive issues, and asking two young goaltenders to provide stability behind a team struggling in its own zone creates additional pressure. Dobes has shown he can handle NHL competition, while Fowler has tremendous potential, but Montreal would undoubtedly prefer to introduce that tandem on its own terms.

After a difficult season, he appeared ready to bounce back and give Montreal another reliable option in net. Now, the Canadiens can only hope Wednesday’s injury scare proves to be minor. If it does not, Montreal’s young goaltenders may suddenly have a much bigger responsibility than anyone expected this early in the season.