The Montreal Canadiens enter the 2025-26 season with a far more intriguing crease situation than in years past. Last season, Samuel Montembeault carried the bulk of the load, starting 60 games. Behind him, however, the backup spot was a revolving door, with shaky play forcing Montembeault into more starts than ideal. This season, with both Kaapo Kahkonen and Jakub Dobes in the mix, the organization hopes for a more stable tandem that eases the pressure on Montembeault while also setting the stage for the future.
Samuel Montembeault
Montembeault proved last season that he can handle the workload of a full-time starter. His 62 appearances and 31-24-7 record highlighted his durability and consistency, even behind a Canadiens roster that was still developing. Heading into 2025-26, though, it would be surprising if he were leaned on quite as heavily. With improved depth across the board and a more reliable second goaltender, Montembeault’s usage should fall closer to 50 starts.
A realistic projection for him is a 28-20-7 record, across 55 starts, which keeps him comfortably above .500. The Canadiens are expected to take another step forward defensively, which should reflect in Montembeault’s personal numbers. With a stronger blue line featuring Lane Hutson entering his sophomore season, Noah Dobson’s first year in Montreal, and Kaiden Guhle continuing to grow into a shutdown role, Montembeault should benefit from cleaner breakouts and reduced high-danger chances against.
Statistically, Montembeault can be expected to hover around a 2.75 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. Those are good numbers, enough to keep Montreal competitive most nights. More importantly, if Montembeault sustains that level of play, he’ll once again be in the conversation for a spot on Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
The Battle for Number Two
While Montembeault’s role is defined, the real intrigue lies in the backup battle. Kahkonen, brought in for his NHL experience, enters camp looking to re-establish himself after an uneven run these last few years. His track record as a serviceable NHL backup gives him the inside edge, especially for a team like Montreal that can’t afford instability behind Montembeault. However, Dobes is not going away quietly. The young netminder gained valuable experience last season in Laval and NHL action, showing…
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