Samuel Montembeault injury scare raises early concern for Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are facing an early-season worry in goal after Samuel Montembeault appeared to be injured during practice on Wednesday. The goaltender left the session after an apparent non-contact incident involving his leg, suggesting a lower-body issue, though the club has not yet provided any official update on the nature or severity of the problem. Until the team weighs in, there is no firm indication of whether he will miss any games.

The timing is particularly problematic given how difficult the opening stretch has been in Montreal’s own zone. Through their first three games, the Canadiens have allowed 14 goals, a reflection of persistent turnovers and high-quality chances against. Removing one of their established NHL netminders from that equation would only add to the defensive challenges already on display.

Montembeault was looking to bounce back after tough season

Montembeault entered this season with something to prove after a difficult 2025-26 campaign. With Jakub Dobes emerging as the club’s other NHL option and prospect Jacob Fowler pushing toward the top level, the veteran needed a strong response to solidify his role. Early signs were encouraging: he put together an impressive pre-season, surrendering just one goal on 35 shots across three half-games and looking poised and composed in the crease.

That performance suggested he was ready to turn the page and provide dependable support behind a still-developing blue line. To see that momentum interrupted before he could truly carry it into the regular season represents a setback for both player and team, especially after the work he appeared to put in over the summer.

Potential ripple effects on Canadiens’ goalie depth chart

For now, Dobes remains the primary starter, and Montreal’s early defensive problems cannot be pinned on him. The broader plan, however, relied on having two NHL-calibre goaltenders available so head coach Martin St. Louis could better manage the workload and lean on another experienced option when necessary. Montembeault, with over 200 NHL games to his name, fills that role in a way a younger goaltender cannot yet match.

Behind Dobes and Montembeault, Fowler stands out as one of the organization’s most promising young players, and the Canadiens have handled his progression carefully. Should Montembeault be sidelined for any length of time, Fowler would be the logical candidate for a call-up. At 21, he is widely viewed as the club’s goaltender of the future and could find his path to the NHL accelerated.

A Dobes–Fowler tandem would be intriguing and might ultimately represent Montreal’s long-term future in goal, but it would also be a very young duo tasked with stabilizing a team already struggling defensively. Dobes has shown he can handle NHL shooters, while Fowler’s potential is clear, yet the organization would likely prefer to introduce that combination under more controlled circumstances.

Until the Canadiens release more information, the situation remains in limbo. The club can only hope Wednesday’s incident proves minor and that Montembeault returns quickly to share the crease. If the injury turns out to be more serious, Montreal’s young goaltenders could suddenly be handed a much larger responsibility than anticipated this early in the season.