NHL insider raises possibility of Montreal weighing one specific goalie option for Edmonton
NHL insider David Pagnotta raised the possibility of the Canadiens looking to trade Samuel Montembeault if he plays well, and the Oilers could have interest.
It was a brutal week for the Montreal Canadiens, who lost all three home games and saw the loss of two key forwards in that stretch as well.
Alex Newhook will miss four months of action, while Kirby Dach will be out four to six weeks, robbing the club of two huge drivers behind its hot start to the year.
Throw in Kaiden Guhle's recent surgery and Patrik Laine's continued absence, and the suddenly crowded Habs injury list starts to take shape.
What is causing Habs GM Kent Hughes to consider exploring a trade
Those losses could make GM Kent Hughes revisit his plans and look for forward help, even if it isn't the long-coveted second-line centre.
Elsewhere, chatter about what may become of the Canadiens' goaltending situation has started: David Pagnotta speculated Samuel Montembeault could be a target for the Edmonton Oilers, at least assuming Jakub Dobes' strong performances continue.
"If...Dobes is playing well...Montembeault starts to increase his game, I'm very curious if the Canadiens are in a position to consider that type of a move; I'd be also curious...if the Oilers may wanna go in that type of direction."
- David Pagnotta
- David Pagnotta
He also questioned whether Martin St-Louis is giving Montembeault consistent starts in part to showcase him to other teams.
Despite St-Louis' public confidence in Montembeault, patience will wear thin when his performances continue to cost the club wins.
Dobes has given Montreal a better chance most nights, but any trade involving Montembeault would leave questions about the backup role.
Jacob Fowler needs regular development time, and Kaapo Kahkonen has barely played at the NHL level since last season.
Why a move could be a little more complicated
Montembeault's trade value has also dipped, making a move more complicated. Edmonton has been linked to him before, but outside of their core players, the Oilers don't have a deep pool of assets.
Jack Roslovic is their most intriguing trade chip, producing 14 points in 18 games, but it's tough to gauge whether Edmonton would part with him.
For now, it's a situation to monitor closely, as the decisions of both teams could hinge on how their goaltenders and injuries play out in the coming weeks.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 17 | 145 ANSWERS NHL insider raises possibility of Montreal weighing one specific goalie option for Edmonton Should the Oilers look to acquire Samuel Montembeault? | ||
| Yes | 91 | 62.8 % |
| No | 54 | 37.2 % |
| List of polls | ||