After being a playoff team last season, the Montreal Canadiens have gotten better heading into the 2025-26 season. The Habs took took a big step forward earlier this summer with the addition of star defenseman Noah Dobson.
With a young, well-rounded forward group consisting of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Patrik Laine, along with the addition of Dobson to a D-core that also features reigning Calder winner Lane Hutson, Montreal is quickly becoming a problem.
Montreal goaltender Sam Montembeault is a player who could fit the criteria for a breakout season. At age 28, Montembault is coming off the best season of his career, and has the potential to give the Red Wings - and the Atlantic Division - issues in the upcoming season.
Consistency can help Montembeault build off strong 2024-25 campaign
Montembeault didn't post elite numbers last season, but he played well enough to lead the Canadiens to their first playoff appearance since 2021. He got the start in 60 regular season contests, and totaled 31 wins. His previous season-high for wins was 16, which he did twice in 2022-23 and 2023-24. His 2.82 goals-against average was also a career-best last season.
His save percentage has hovered around .900 throughout his career, and he posted a .901 save percentage across 3533 minutes between the pipes last season. He showed flashes of what he is capable of, as he orchestrated four shutouts. He had just one shutout in his career prior to last season.
Those glimmers of elite netminding are enticing to Canadiens fans, but consistency has plagued Montembeault so far in his career. Part of that inconsistency comes from facing high shot volumes, but Montembeault went from making 31.9 saves per game in 2023-24 to making 23.3 saves per game in 2024-25. The defensive unit in front of him is getting better, and if he can find some consistency this season, Montembeault could be in for a big year.
Montembeault owns strong numbers against Detroit
The Canadiens are showing that they can build a strong roster in a variety of ways. Whether it be the draft, trading for prospects, or the free agent market, Montreal seemingly went through a mini-rebuild after 2021, and made the playoffs three years later.
Montembeault was drafted in the third round, 77th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2015 NHL Draft. He played two seasons in Florida, appearing in 25 games going 9-8-3 with a .892 save percentage and 3.20 goals-against average. He was placed on waivers on October 1, 2021, and was claimed by the Canadiens the next day.
He's gotten better in each of his four seasons in Montreal, as his goals-against averages have dropped from 3.77 in 2021-22, to 3.42 in 2022-23, to 3.14 in 2023-24, to 2.82 last season.
In seven career games against the Red Wings, Montembeault is 4-1-2 with a .914 save percentage and 2.67 goals-against average. He went 3-1 against Detroit last season.
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