The Montreal Canadiens are battling for a playoff spot, but they could look to upgrade their goalie position this offseason.
The website PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Canadiens dealing Sam Montembeault to the Anaheim Ducks.
Canadiens acquire:
- John Gibson
- 2025 third-round pick (Toronto’s)
Ducks acquire:
- Sam Montembeault
- 2025 second-round pick (Utah’s)
- 2026 second-round pick (Utah’s)
The proposed deal would be an intriguing goalie swap, as Montreal would get Gibson and a third for Montembeault and two second-rounders. However, it does seem unlikely that Montreal would do that deal due to Gibson’s injury history and Montembeault playing well this season.
Gibson is in the sixth year of his eight-year, $51.2 million deal. He’s a three-time All-Star and, when healthy, is a star goalie, so he would be an upgrade for Montreal. However, his health is a major concern. He’s gone 11-11-2 with a 2.77 GAA and a .912 SV%.
In return, Anaheim would acquire two second-round picks and Montembeault. Montembeault is in the first year of his three-year, $9.45 million deal and has become the Canadiens’ starting goalie. He would form a tandem with Lukas Dostal, which would solidify Anaheim’s goalie position. Montembeault has gone 28-23-6 with a 2.86 GAA and a .900 SV%.
Montembeault Battling for Canadiens’ Starter Position
Montreal is in the playoff spot, but there still are questions about who would start in the playoffs.
Montembeault has been the starter most of the season, but Jakub Dobes has played well. Although both have played well, Canadiens’ defenseman David Savard believes that Montembeault is the team’s starting goalie.
“I know people are talking, but I think Sam earned his spot,” Savard said. “I think Dobes has come in and given us a chance to win every time he went in, and it’s been fun to see him perform and help us get wins, but I think Sam’s been waiting for that moment (to be the Canadiens’ No. 1) and he’s given us a chance every night. He did again tonight. I think we weren’t flying out of the gate, and he kept us in and made some big saves, and that’s the only thing you can ask for your goaltender, and Sam’s been doing this.”
Montembeault was selected in the third round of the 2015 NHL draft by the Florida Panthers. He was claimed off waivers by the Canadiens in 2021.
Gibson is Open to Being Traded
Gibson’s name has come up in trade rumors for years, but he has yet to be dealt.
Ahead of the trade deadline, Gibson made it clear that he would be open to a deal.
“I don’t know, I mean, it’s, we’ll see. I kind of let my agent do all that, and I just worry about the playing,” Gibson said on Sirius XM. “I’ve been in the rumors for probably three or four years now, so it gets a little tiring. I just let my agent do that, and I just worry about playing hockey and enjoying it, because that’s what it’s all about.”
Gibson has spent his entire career with the Ducks after being drafted 39th overall in 2011.
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