Kent Hughes is still trying to trade Samuel Montembeault, and the Canadiens have until 5 p.m. Monday to submit a 23-man roster.
Jimmy Murphy has several sources telling him Montreal wants it done before the season starts.
The awkward part is that the goaltender has been good doing it. His camp has been one of the better stories in Brossard.
He stopped all 13 shots he faced in Toronto on Saturday, then split Monday's overtime win with Jakub Dobes.
Barely anybody is shopping for a goalie in late September. Not without an injury landing somewhere first.
That makes a reasonable return hard to find for a 29-year-old on a $3,150,000 cap hit.
If the offer doesn't arrive, Hughes has to make a different decision entirely.
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Kent Hughes facing major Samuel Montembeault trade decision before Monday
Fowler took the win at the Bell Centre on Saturday, stopping 9 of the 10 he faced.
He went .908 across 17 games last season. That isn't a number anybody buries in the minors for fun.
The tidiest outcome has Montembeault opening beside Dobes while Fowler gets real minutes in Laval.
Dobes played 43 games last year and posted a .901. He's the starter now and nobody in that room is arguing it.
Hughes has already said the club won't open the season carrying three goaltenders.
Frank Seravalli picked Montembeault as the first player traded anywhere in the league this season.
Renaud Lavoie reported Kirby Dach is sitting in trade discussions too. That's another file on the same desk.
The strong camp cuts in both directions. It raises his value and it also argues for keeping him.
Ottawa on Saturday, the roster due Monday, then Toronto on Tuesday to open the season.
Four days to sort a crease, a forward group and whatever else Hughes hasn't told anybody about.
Montreal is 3-0 through the exhibition schedule, which has settled exactly none of this.
So what does a good camp buy a man on the block? Playing well while your team shops you works like getting a raise the week you're asked to relocate.
Hughes has a phone and a deadline. One of those two things ends this by Monday afternoon.
Should Kent Hughes keep Samuel Montembeault instead of trading him?
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