Sam Montembeault

Samuel Montembeault (born October 30, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Florida Panthers, 77th overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
==Playing career==
===Junior===
Montembeault first played junior hockey in his native Quebec, with the Trois-Rivières Estacades of the QMAAA from 2011 to 2013. Showing early promise as the starting goaltender with the Estacades, Montembeault was selected to the Second All-Star Team and collected the best goalie prospect award from the 2012–13 season. He was selected 40th overall by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the 2013 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft.
After appearing in a career high 52 games with Armada during his second season in the QMJHL in 2014–15, Montembeault was selected by the Florida Panthers in the third round, 77th overall, of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
In the following 2015–16 season, recorded a 17–19–8 record with a 2.63 goals against average, .901 save percentage with three shutouts. Leading Armada in the post-season, Montembeault was named the Vaughn Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Week for the week ending April 3 after earning a 3–1 record, 2.27 goals against average and .933 save percentage during Blainville’s first round playoff series win against Val-d'Or Foreurs. Montembeault finished the postseason with a 2.45 goals against average, .925 save percentage and one shutout.
On May 11, 2016, Montembeault was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers. He returned for his final junior season in the QMJHL, establishing new career high with 2.40 goals against average and a .907 save percentage.
===Professional===
====Florida Panthers====
In his first professional season, Montembeault attended the Panthers 2017 training camp, before he was re-assigned to begin the 2017–18 season in the American Hockey League with affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. He made his professional debut, making 25 saves for the Thunderbirds, in a 3–2 defeat to the Providence Bruins on October 13, 2017. He collected his first win in his 7th outing, backstopping the Thunderbirds in a 5–3 decision over the Hartford Wolf Pack on November 3, 2017. With the Thunderbirds finishing well out of the playoffs, Montembeault finished with 13 wins through 41 games.
Montembeault was assigned to continue in the AHL with Springfield to begin the 2018–19 season. After 33 games with the Thunderbirds, having already matched his previous win totals, Montembeault received his first recall by Panthers due to starting goaltender Roberto Luongo briefly leaving the team on bereavement leave, on February 18, 2019. In his second recall to the Panthers following an injury to backup James Reimer, Montembeault made his NHL debut in his first career start with the Panthers in a 4–3 overtime defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on March 2, 2019.
====Montreal Canadiens====
On October 1, 2021, Montembeault was placed on waivers by the Panthers. The following day, he was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens. Montembeault made his debut for the team in a pre-season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, where the Canadiens lost 6–2, but Montembeault was widely credited for a strong performance despite weak defending by the team. Following starting goaltender Carey Price's taking a leave of absence for mental health reasons, Montembeault temporarily became the primary backup goaltender to Jake Allen. On January 12, 2022, Allen was injured in a game against the Boston Bruins and subsequently announced to be out for at least two months, with Montembeault becoming the Canadiens' starting goaltender in the meantime. The Canadiens named him their player of the month for January, having become the first goaltender in team history to post two consecutives games with 48 saves or more. He earned his first NHL shutout win against the Buffalo Sabres on February 23, 2022. Following Allen's return he played only sparingly, but after Allen's re-injury in early April he was again the team's starting goaltender, pending the return of Price. Following the conclusion of the season, Montembeault underwent wrist surgery.
On July 18, 2022, Montembeault was re-signed to a two-year, $2 million contract extension with the Canadiens.
==Career statistics==
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	W 	L 	OT 	MIN 	GA 	SO 	GAA 	SV% 		GP 	W 	L 	MIN 	GA 	SO 	GAA 	SV%
2011–12 	Trois-Rivières Estacades 	QMAAA 		1 	0 	0 	0 	1 	0 	0 	0.00 	1.000 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Trois-Rivières Estacades 	QMAAA 		19 	11 	7 	1 	1110 	47 	1 	2.54 	.915 		6 	4 	2 	— 	— 	— 	2.79 	.915
2013–14 	Blainville-Boisbriand Armada	QMJHL 		14 	9 	1 	1 	714 	28 	0 	2.35 	.898 		1 	1 	0 	53 	3 	0 	3.40 	.824
2014–15 	Blainville-Boisbriand Armada	QMJHL 		52 	33 	11 	7 	3104 	134 	3 	2.59 	.891 		6 	2 	4 	353 	14 	0 	2.38 	.878
2015–16 	Blainville-Boisbriand Armada	QMJHL 		47 	17 	19 	8 	2711 	119 	3 	2.63 	.901 		11 	5 	5 	685 	28 	1 	2.45 	.925
2016–17 	Blainville-Boisbriand Armada	QMJHL 		41 	28 	9 	1 	2226 	89 	6 	2.40 	.907 		18 	12 	6 	1070 	42 	0 	2.35 	.910
2017–18 	Springfield Thunderbirds 	AHL 		41 	13 	23 	3 	2196 	119 	2 	3.25 	.896 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Springfield Thunderbirds 	AHL 		39 	13 	16 	8 	2188 	118 	1 	3.24 	.899 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		11 	4 	3 	2 	592 	30 	0 	3.05 	.894 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		14 	5 	5 	1 	701 	39 	0 	3.34 	.890 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Springfield Thunderbirds 	AHL 		11 	5 	5 	1 	659 	33 	1 	3.00 	.918 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2020–21 	Syracuse Crunch 	AHL 		13 	8 	4 	1 	775 	37 	1 	2.86 	.898 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2021–22 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 		38 	8 	18 	6 	1943 	122 	1 	3.77 	.891 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		63 	17 	26 	9 	3,235 	191 	1 	3.54 	.892 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award 	Year 	
QMAAA 	QMAAA	QMAAA
Second All-Star Team 	2013 	
Best Goalie Prospect 	2013 	
QMJHL 	QMJHL	QMJHL
CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game	2015 	
Second All-Star Team 	2015 	
AHL 	AHL 	AHL
All-Star Game 	2019 	
==References==
==External links==
* 
Category:Blainville-Boisbriand Armada players
Category:Canadian ice hockey goaltenders
Category:Florida Panthers draft picks
Category:Florida Panthers players
Category:Montreal Canadiens players
Category:Springfield Thunderbirds players
Category:Syracuse Crunch players