Sam Montembeault

Last updated

Samuel Montembeault
Samuel Montembeault 2019.jpg
Montembeault with the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2019
Born (1996-10-30) October 30, 1996 (age 28)
Bécancour, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Montreal Canadiens
Florida Panthers
National teamFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
NHL draft 77th overall, 2015
Florida Panthers
Playing career 2017–present

Samuel Montembeault (born October 30, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the third round, 77th overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 2015 NHL entry draft.

Contents

Playing career

Junior

Montembeault first played junior hockey in his native Quebec, with the Trois-Rivières Estacades of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League (QMAAA) from 2011 to 2013. Showing early promise as the starting goaltender with the Estacades, Montembeault was selected to the Second All-Star Team and received the Best Goalie Prospect award for the 2012–13 season. He was then selected 40th overall by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the 2013 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) entry draft.

After appearing in a career high 52 games with the Armada during his second QMJHL season in 2014–15, Montembeault was selected by the Florida Panthers in the third round (77th overall) of the 2015 NHL entry draft. [1]

In the following 2015–16 season, he recorded a 17–19–8 record with a 2.63 goals against average, .901 save percentage, along with three shutouts. Leading the Armada in the postseason, Montembeault was named the Vaughn Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Week for the week ending April 3 after earning a 3–1 record, 2.27 goals against average and .933 save percentage during Blainville's first round playoff series win against the Val-d'Or Foreurs. Collectively, Montembeault finished the postseason with a 2.45 goals against average, .925 save percentage and one shutout.

On May 10, 2016, Montembeault was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers. [2] He subsequently returned for his final season of major junior with the Armada, establishing new career highs with both a 2.40 goals against average and a .907 save percentage in 2016–17.

Professional

Florida Panthers

Montembeault first attended the Panthers' training camp in 2017 before reassignment to the American Hockey League (AHL) with affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. On October 13, 2017, he made 25 saves in a 3–2 defeat to the Providence Bruins, being his professional debut for the Thunderbirds. [3] Montembeault collected his first win in his seventh outing, backstopping the Thunderbirds in a 5–3 decision over the Hartford Wolf Pack on November 3, 2017. [4] With Springfield finishing well out of Calder Cup playoff contention, Montembeault compiled a total of 13 wins through 41 games during the 2017–18 season. [5]

Montembeault with the Thunderbirds in 2019 Samuel Montembeault 2019 8.jpg
Montembeault with the Thunderbirds in 2019

Montembeault was again re-assigned to continue in the AHL with Springfield to begin the 2018–19 season. After 33 games with the Thunderbirds, having already matched his previous win totals, Montembeault received his first recall by the Panthers due to starting goaltender Roberto Luongo briefly leaving the team on bereavement in February 2019. [6] In his second recall to the Panthers following an injury to backup James Reimer, Montembeault made his NHL debut in a 4–3 overtime defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on March 2, 2019. [7]

Montreal Canadiens

On October 1, 2021, Montembeault was placed on waivers by the Panthers whereas he was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens the following day. [8] He made his Canadiens debut a few days later in a 6–2 preseason loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was widely credited for a strong performance despite weak defending by the team. [9] With starting goaltender Carey Price taking a leave of absence for mental health reasons, Montembeault became the primary backup goaltender to veteran Jake Allen. [10] Following an injury to Allen on January 12, 2022 in a game against the Boston Bruins, Montembeault intermittently became the Canadiens' starting goaltender for a period of two months. [11] Over the course of this run, he became the first goaltender in team history to post 48+ saves in two consecutives games [12] and earned his first NHL shutout win against the Buffalo Sabres on February 23. [13] Upon Allen's return, Montembeault played only sparingly, however, after the former was re-injured in early April, he again became the team's starting goaltender. [14] At the conclusion of the season, Montembeault underwent corrective wrist surgery. [15]

On July 18, 2022, Montembeault was re-signed to a two-year, $2 million contract extension with the Canadiens. [16] Beginning the 2022–23 season as Allen's backup, he was soon noted for markedly improved performance, particularly when evaluated by advanced statistics. [17] After yet another injury to Allen in January 2023 necessitated Montembeault taking over the starter role, he appeared in eight straight games, posting a 4–4–0 record with a .930 save percentage in that span. Kent Hughes, the team's general manager, praised his play and said "he still has a lot to experience as a goalie, but we see the potential. So Sam definitely isn't going anywhere." [18] Discussion then ensued amongst sports media of whether Montembeault should be treated as the team's main goaltender on a long-term basis. [19] Upon Allen's return, the two largely alternated starts on an equal basis. [20] Following the season, Montembeault finished second to captain Nick Suzuki for the Molson Cup honor as team player of the year. [21]

With prospect goaltender Cayden Primeau no longer exempt from waivers entering the 2023–24 season, the Canadiens began play with a rotation of three goaltenders that included both Montembeault as well as Jake Allen. [22] Montembeault appeared in ten games in the first two months of the season, going 5–3–1 and recording a .910 save percentage, before it was announced on December 1 that he had been re-signed to a three-year, $9.45 million contract. [23] He ultimately appeared in 41 total games, a new career high, with a 16-15-9 record and a .903 save percentage. [24]

In the team's 2024–25 season opener against the Maple Leafs, Montembeault earned a shutout which set an NHL record for the most saves in a season-opening shutout with 48. [25]

International play

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Finland/Latvia

Montembeault was named to Team Canada for the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, however, as the team's third goaltender, did not see tournament play. [26]

Following the Montreal Canadiens not qualifying for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, Montembeault accepted an invitation to join Canada's national senior team at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. [27] In his first international appearance, he recorded a shutout victory over Latvia. [28] Montembeault started seven of the team's ten games, including all in the knockout rounds, posting a 1.42 goals against average and a .939 save percentage en route to Canada winning the championship. [29]

In December 2024, Montembeault was named as one of three goaltenders, alongside fellow countrymen Jordan Binnington and Adin Hill, to the Canadian roster for the upcoming NHL-sanctioned 4 Nations Face-Off taking place in February 2025 in the midst of the 2024–25 season. [30] [31]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLOTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2011–12Trois-Rivières Estacades QMAAA 10001000.001.000————————
2012–13Trois-Rivières EstacadesQMAAA19117111104712.54.915642———2.79.915
2013–14 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada QMJHL 149117142802.35.89811053303.40.824
2014–15 Blainville-Boisbriand ArmadaQMJHL5233117310413432.59.8916243531402.38.878
2015–16 Blainville-Boisbriand ArmadaQMJHL4717198271111932.63.90111556852812.45.925
2016–17 Blainville-Boisbriand ArmadaQMJHL41289122268962.40.9071812610704202.35.910
2017–18 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL 4113233219611923.25.896————————
2018–19 Springfield ThunderbirdsAHL3913168218811813.24.899————————
2018–19 Florida Panthers NHL 114325923003.05.894————————
2019–20 Florida PanthersNHL145517013903.34.890————————
2019–20 Springfield ThunderbirdsAHL115516593313.00.918————————
2020–21 Syracuse Crunch AHL138417753712.86.898————————
2021–22 Montreal Canadiens NHL388186194312213.77.891————————
2022–23 Montreal CanadiensNHL4016193233413303.42.901————————
2023–24 Montreal CanadiensNHL4116159242912703.14.903————————
NHL totals1444960217,99845113.38.898————————

International

YearTeamEventResultGPWLOTMINGASOGAASV%
2023 Canada WC Gold medal icon.svg76104231011.42.939
Senior totals76104231011.42—

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
QMAAA
Second All-Star Team2013 [32]
Best Goalie Prospect2013 [33]
CHL
CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2015 [34]
QMJHL
Second All-Star Team 2017 [35]
AHL
All-Star Game 2019 [36]

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References

  1. ↑ Little, Todd (January 29, 2016). "Florida Panthers Class of 2015 Update". SB Nation . Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  2. ↑ Brough, Jason (May 10, 2016). "Panthers sign their top goalie prospect Montembeault". NBC Sports . Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Springfield Thunderbirds @ Providence Bruins - Friday, October 13, 2017 Game Summary". American Hockey League. October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Hartford Wolf Pack @ Springfield Thunderbirds Friday, November 3, 2017 Game Summary". American Hockey League. November 3, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  5. ↑ DeFranks, Matthew (May 22, 2018). "Done with first pro season, Panthers goalie prospect Montembeault has "all the talent in the world"". Sun-Sentinel . Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Panthers recall goaltender Sam Montembeault from Springfield (AHL)". Florida Panthers. February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019– via NHL.com.
  7. ↑ "Montembeault's NHL Debut Spoiled, Hurricanes Come Back To Beat Panthers In OT". CBS Miami . March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Canadiens claim Samuel Montembeault off waivers". Montreal Canadiens. October 2, 2021 – via NHL.com.
  9. ↑ MacMillan, Ken (October 6, 2021). "Montreal Canadiens: Skaters Give Sam Montembeault No Chance in Only Preseason Action". FanSided .
  10. ↑ O'Brien, James (October 7, 2021). "Price on leave from Canadiens, enters player assistance program". NBC Sports . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Allen out eight weeks for Canadiens with lower-body injury". NHL.com. National Hockey League. January 21, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Samuel Montembeault earns Molson Cup for January". Montreal Canadiens. February 8, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022– via NHL.com.
  13. ↑ "Suzuki scores two, Montembeault grabs first shutout; Canadiens top Sabres". TSN . February 23, 2022.
  14. ↑ Leijon, Erik (April 12, 2022). "Montembeault earns place in Habs' goalie debate". Montreal Gazette .
  15. ↑ "Medical update regarding Samuel Montembeault". Montreal Canadiens. May 9, 2022 – via NHL.com.
  16. ↑ "G Samuel Montembeault signs two-year extension with Canadiens". Sportsnet . July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  17. ↑ Godin, Marc Antoine (December 21, 2022). "Why Sam Montembeault's Canadiens breakout is not surprising to those that know him best". The Athletic .
  18. ↑ Cowan, Stu (January 26, 2023). "Canadiens' Sam Montembeault grabs bull by the horns". Montreal Gazette.
  19. ↑ Hickey, Pat (January 22, 2023). "Sam Montembeault staking claim to be No. 1 goalie". Montreal Gazette.
  20. ↑ Szporer, Ryan Antoine (March 18, 2023). "Canadiens' Goalie Montembeault Lays Claim to No. 1 Job". TheHockeyWriters.com.
  21. ↑ "Nick Suzuki wins the Canadiens' Molson Cup Player of the Year". Montreal Canadiens. April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023– via NHL.com.
  22. ↑ Galanopoulos, Chris (November 20, 2023). "How Long Will the Montreal Canadiens Keep Three Goalies?". The Hockey News . Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Three-year contract extension for Samuel Montembeault". Montreal Canadiens. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023– via NHL.com.
  24. ↑ Major-Mcnicol, Tyler (June 1, 2024). "Grading Samuel Montembeault's season". A Winning Habit. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  25. ↑ Engels, Eric (October 9, 2024). "Canadiens' Montembeault stays cool under pressure for season-opening win". Sportsnet. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  26. ↑ Milner, Evan (April 27, 2023). "Montembeault: 'Couldn't be happier' in Montreal". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved April 27, 2023– via NHL.com.
  27. ↑ Milner, Evan (May 5, 2023). "Sam Montembeault and Justin Barron named to Team Canada". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved December 11, 2024– via NHL.com.
  28. ↑ "Flames' Weegar, Canadiens' Montembeault lead Canada to win over Latvia at worlds". Sportsnet. May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  29. ↑ Cowan, Stu (May 28, 2023). "Canadiens' Samuel Montembeault is good as gold". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Samuel Montembeault to represent Canada at 4 Nations Face-Off". Montreal Canadiens. December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024– via NHL.com.
  31. ↑ Engels, Eric (December 4, 2024). "Don't underestimate Montembeault playing way up Team Canada's depth chart". Sportsnet. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Awards - QM18AAA Second All-Star Team". Eliteprospects.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Awards - QM18AAA Best Goalie Prospect". Eliteprospects.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  34. ↑ "2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Rosters". CHL.ca. Canadian Hockey League. December 17, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  35. ↑ "The Golden Puck Awards: an unforgettable evening!". CHL.ca. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. April 6, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  36. ↑ Olive, Jameson (January 30, 2019). "AHL All-Star Montembeault making strides in 2nd season with Thunderbirds". Florida Panthers. Retrieved February 14, 2019– via NHL.com.
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