Sam Montembeault still believes he has a future with the Montreal Canadiens, even after comments made by general manager Kent Hughes earlier in September.
“I think so, I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” Montembeault said on Friday, when asked by reporters whether he still feels like he’s part of the team’s plans at goaltender. “We already talked during the summer, we were aware but we still haven’t discussed the full plan.”
That question was asked after Hughes told reporters earlier in September that he was comfortable carrying three goaltenders into training camp, but that he only planned to carry two goaltenders on the roster once the regular season begins on Sept. 29 in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.
Montembeault started in net for the Canadiens in their season opener last year, where he allowed three goals on 25 shots in a loss to the Maple Leafs. His playing time dwindled as he continued to be overshadowed by rookie netminder Jakub Dobes, and Montembeault finished the season with a 10-8-4 record, 3.43 goals-against average and a save percentage of .873.
Montembeault’s last appearance of the season came on March 6 in a shootout loss against the Anaheim Ducks.
“I know I can do it,” Montembeault said to reporters after Friday’s practice about whether he can bounce back this season. “I just got to get back to do that and get that consistency back that I think I was missing last year.
“I did like three really good seasons just before that last one... obviously that wasn’t good last year, so I know I can do it, I just have to go back to that, go back to what I know I’m doing well. I really put that one behind [me] this summer.”
The Canadiens turned to Jacob Fowler - another rookie - as the backup for Dobes last season, and the pair are expected to be the top two options in net for Montreal again this year, with Dobes the primary option after starting all 19 games for the Canadiens in the postseason.
The Canadiens will open their preseason schedule on Saturday with a pair of split-squad games against the Maple Leafs, then play two more against the Ottawa Senators before the regular season gets underway.
