The Edmonton Oilers tried to make changes to solidify the goaltending position last season, but they didn’t work, so here we are entering another offseason where they’ll be one of the few teams in the market for help in net.
Outside of Sergei Bobrovsky, a reunion with Stuart Skinner — extremely unlikely — or re-signing Connor Ingram, there aren’t many options in free agency. As a result, GM Stan Bowman may have to dip into the trade market.
One team they could look to that has a surplus of goalies is the Montreal Canadiens, and according to a recent report from Maxime Truman, the Oilers already have their eyes on Samuel Montembeault.
“According to my information, the Oilers would have significant interest in Samuel Montembeault.
Note: the Oilers aren’t the only ones who have called the Habs about Montembeault, and the latter isn’t the only goalie on their radar. However, there is clearly a path that could lead to a trade. To be continued,”
The 29-year-old Montembeault has one year remaining on the three-year, $9.45 million contract extension he signed with the Canadiens back in 2023. He went 10–8–4 with a 3.43 goals-against average and a .872 save percentage in 23 starts last season.
While Montembeault had a very rough 2025–26 season and was surpassed by both Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler along the way, he still is capable of being a solid NHL goalie in a tandem or as a backup.
If Edmonton is stuck with Tristan Jarry as one of their netminders, then they will preferably want to find a cheaper second option, which Montembeault could be.
It’s a move that would come with some risk given his recent performance, but let’s not forget this is the same goalie who made Team Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster the year prior, so he shouldn’t be written off completely.
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