Hughes Nixes Three-Goalie Rotation For Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes seemed to squash any talk that the Montreal Canadiens could carry three goalies on their NHL roster to start the upcoming season.

During his media availability at the Montreal Canadiens golf tournament on Monday, Hughes made it clear that despite carrying three goalies for intervals of the 2025-26 regular season, that won’t be the case when this season kicks off on September 29.

“To start training camp, more than three goalies, yes, but to start the season probably not,” Hughes told the assembled media on Monday.

As it stands, the Montreal Canadiens have three NHL goalies on their roster. 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs hero Jakub Dobes, 2025 Four Nations goalie Samuel Montembeault, and blue chip prospect Jacob Fowler will all enter training camp with a chance to make the 2026-27 roster. 

After his amazing run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring and then signing a three-year, $16 million ($5.3M AAV) contract extension, Dobes is as close to a guaranteed spot on the roster as can be, unless he gets injured in the preseason. However, the same can’t be said for Montembeault or Fowler.

Samuel Montembeault has been the subject of NHL trade rumours since losing his role with the Canadiens last season. He is in the final year of a three-year $9.4 million ($3.1M AAV) contract. The 29-year old veteran posted a career-worst .872 save percentage and 3.43 GAA alongside a 10-8-4 record in 25 games with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2025-26 season. As a result, Montembeault was passed by both Dobes and Fowler on the goaltending depth chart as the season went on.

Jacob Fowler’s .908 save percentage and his 2.43 GAA were the best in both stats among the three Montreal Canadiens goaltenders last season, but the 25-year-old goalie’s spot on the opening-night roster is far from guaranteed. The fact that Fowler is still waiver-exempt and can be sent to the Laval Rocket to start the year with no risk, leaves the door open that he could start this season where he began last.