Samuel Montembeault's spot on the Montreal Canadiens roster has a shelf life, and NHL insider Eric Macramalla put the math on the table Sunday morning.
Macramalla posted that Montembeault's AAV next season is close to double the combined cap hit of Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler.
That's not a stat you bury. That's a front-office problem that writes itself.
Dobes carries a $965,000 cap number this season. Fowler sits at $923,333.
Together they cost Kent Hughes less than $1.9 million. Montembeault costs $3,150,000 on his own.
And the production spread doesn't favor the veteran.
"Next season Montembeault's AAV is close to double the combined cap hit of Dobes and Fowler.
We know Dobes and Fowler can play. And Montembeault will have value on the trade market. Reasonable to move on and in the process gain that very valuable cap space. Not personal."
- Eric Macramalla
Dobes and Fowler already outplayed Montembeault this season
Montembeault posted a .873 save percentage across 25 games this season, going 5-8-10 in decisions.
Fowler went 9-6-2 in 17 starts with a .908 SV% and a shutout. At 21 years old.
Dobes played 43 games, went 29-10-4, and stopped pucks at a .901 clip.
When your two cheaper options both outperform the expensive starter on every meaningful stat, the conversation stops being about loyalty.
Macramalla called it plainly: Montembeault will have trade value. Moving him gains real cap space. Not personal.
That framing is exactly right. Sentiment doesn't belong in this equation.
The Canadiens finished 48-24-10, good for 106 points and sixth overall in the league. This team is accelerating faster than anyone outside Montreal expected.
That means the window is opening, and cap space is about to matter a great deal.
Carrying a $3.15 million goaltender while two younger, cheaper, and more effective options are already inside the building is a luxury the Canadiens don't need.
The real question is what the trade market looks like for a 29-year-old goalie coming off a .873 save percentage. That's a legitimate concern.
Buyer demand for that profile isn't automatic. But Macramalla believes the value is still there, and Hughes has a history of moving players before the curve breaks the other way.
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If Montreal waits too long, the leverage shrinks. Fowler and Dobes are already in the building. They've already answered the audition.
Should the Canadiens trade Samuel Montembeault this offseason?
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