Montembeault Shines in Last 10 Games Despite Habs' Doubts

Backup goalie's advanced stats rank among NHL's best, but team has lost confidence in his play

Mar. 29, 2026 at 6:36pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey goaltender in various positions, with sharp, overlapping planes of red, blue, and white representing the Montreal Canadiens' colors. The fragmented, abstract style conveys the complex and sometimes contradictory nature of evaluating goaltender performance.Advanced analytics suggest Canadiens backup goalie Samuel Montembeault has been a top performer, but the team has lost confidence in his play.Philadelphia Today

Samuel Montembeault, the backup goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens, has been one of the NHL's top goalies over his last 10 games according to advanced analytics. However, the Canadiens have decided to stick with rookie Jakub Dobes as the backup, indicating they have lost confidence in Montembeault's play despite his strong underlying numbers.

Why it matters

This story highlights the disconnect that can sometimes exist between a player's advanced stats and how they are perceived by their team and the public. Montembeault's strong underlying numbers suggest he has been playing well, but the Canadiens have decided to move away from him, likely due to factors like 'the eye test' and his recent struggles. This raises questions about how teams evaluate and make decisions about their goaltenders.

The details

Over his last 10 games, Montembeault ranks among the NHL's top goalies in several advanced metrics, including saves above projection (4.8, 11th) and saves above projection per 60 minutes (top 17). However, he also ranks tied for 10th in goals allowed over that same stretch. The Canadiens have decided to stick with rookie Jakub Dobes as the backup to starter Jacob Fowler, indicating they have lost confidence in Montembeault despite his strong underlying numbers.

  • Montembeault's strong advanced stats are over his last 10 games, dating back to December 30 against the Florida Panthers.
  • The Canadiens decided to stick with Dobes as the backup goalie for their game against the Carolina Hurricanes on March 29, 2026.

The players

Samuel Montembeault

The backup goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens who has been one of the NHL's top goalies over his last 10 games according to advanced analytics, but has lost the team's confidence.

Jakub Dobes

The rookie goaltender who the Montreal Canadiens have decided to stick with as the backup to starter Jacob Fowler, despite Montembeault's strong underlying numbers.

Jacob Fowler

The starting goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens.

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The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges teams face in evaluating goaltender performance, as advanced analytics can sometimes paint a different picture than what the 'eye test' suggests. The Canadiens' decision to move away from Montembeault despite his strong underlying numbers raises questions about how teams weigh different performance metrics when making decisions about their roster.