Samuel Montembeault wins back confidence as Canadiens’ camp surprise

Samuel Montembeault delivered one of the most unexpected storylines of the Montreal Canadiens’ training camp, transforming a tense relationship with the home crowd into a renewed vote of confidence at the Bell Centre. In a 4–2 win over the Ottawa Senators that wrapped up the pre-season, the 29-year-old entered midway through the game in relief of Jacob Fowler and shut the door, turning aside all 14 shots he faced in regulation and four of five in the planned shootout that followed.

The ovation he received stood in sharp contrast to last February, when boos rained down after his eighth straight loss on home ice. Montembeault arrived at this camp far from a guaranteed favourite in net, with NHL-ready prospect Jacob Fowler looking to grab a job and recent playoff standout Jakub Dobes also in the mix for the starter’s role.

Instead, Montembeault has reinserted himself into the goaltending conversation by allowing just a single goal on 35 shots over three half-games. The performance appears to have secured him a spot, even if he is careful not to read too much into pre-season numbers, describing camp as “a new start” and insisting everything resets once the regular season begins on Tuesday.

Mittelstadt emerges, Danault finds his stride

On defence, Luke Mittelstadt has been another pleasant surprise. The 23-year-old, a seventh-round pick in 2023, had only a brief AHL stint under his belt before camp but used that experience as a springboard in Montreal. His steady progress earned him more than 20 minutes of ice time at the Bell Centre in the final exhibition contest, a clear show of trust from the coaching staff.

The way Mittelstadt handled those minutes suggests he could be back in Montreal at some point during the 84-game schedule if injuries or performance issues open a door. His emergence adds depth to the Canadiens’ blue-line options and gives management another internal candidate to lean on rather than rushing other prospects.

Up front, Phillip Danault’s pre-season also raised eyebrows. The 33-year-old did not score a goal in his 30 games with the Los Angeles Kings before being traded back to Montreal, making his three pre-season tallies in a Canadiens uniform all the more striking. Beyond the finishing touch, his skating and pace have stood out since the start of camp, an encouraging sign as he heads into a contract year.

Danault, who experienced a rocky start the last time he entered a contract season in Montreal in 2021, says his approach now is to put the business side aside and simply play free. So far, that mindset appears to be translating into tangible results, with his two-way game looking sharper than it did earlier last season.

Xhekaj’s identity game forces tough decisions

Forward Florian Xhekaj did not exactly come out of nowhere, but his camp underlined how close he is to full-time NHL duty. With limited pro experience, he leaned fully into his identity as a physical, relentless forechecker willing to engage anyone. That consistent edge has turned his pre-season into a strong argument for a roster spot.

Head coach Martin St. Louis noted that Xhekaj “doesn’t have an identity crisis,” praising how clearly he understands what he brings and how reliably he showed it throughout camp. Even if it takes longer than a couple of days to clear room on a crowded NHL roster, his performance suggests it is a matter of when, not if, he officially joins the Canadiens.

As the countdown to the regular season begins, Montreal leaves camp buoyed by a revived Montembeault, an emerging Mittelstadt, a re-energized Danault and a knocking-on-the-door Xhekaj. The next test will be whether these pre-season surprises can carry their momentum into games that count.