Player Discussion Sam "Dikembe" Montembeault

[Cournoyer12]

Campbell was a #1 goalie for a few years already. Sam has yet to claim the #1 spot in Montreal.

If he’s not the #1 I’ll drink my own pee!!!!

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

With Monty, it's all about consistency. He's had stretches where he looks incredible, and others where he just loses it.

What makes him hard to project is how will he play behind a good team? Expectations change, how does he handle that? I suppose this tournament provides a glimpse, but it's a short tournament too.

To be fair, the only goalies who don't struggle with consistency are primarily all star level goaltenders as any goalie can get hot but consistency is the key to being great. Most starting goalies go through tough stretches.

You make a valid point about playing behind a good teams although they often make mediocre goalies look good until they get exposed in the playoffs. I suspect playing in Montreal is tough even with lowered expectations at is under the largest microscope in the hockey world.

Agreed though, Monty still has to prove it over a larger sample and in more games that matter.

 

[JianYang]

To be fair, the only goalies who don't struggle with consistency are primarily all star level goaltenders as any goalie can get hot but consistency is the key to being great. Most starting goalies go through tough stretches.

You make a valid point about playing behind a good teams although they often make mediocre goalies look good until they get exposed in the playoffs. I suspect playing in Montreal is tough even with lowered expectations at is under the largest microscope in the hockey world.

Agreed though, Monty still has to prove it over a larger sample and in more games that matter.

I agree. Consistency is what seperates the goalie's at this level. Alot of guys can look good on a random day.

Despite the mediocrity that montreal has been mired in the last 30 years, they generally tend to find quality goalies, even if its a short run. From Hackett to theodore to huet to Halak to price. There was also vokoun in the system at the time and garon who looked promising in Montreal before being traded. His career didn't unfold quite as I expected but the point is that the Habs have a knack for finding goalies that perform well for them.

I'm hoping Monty can continue that run. Goalies are fickle, and we don't know how Monty will be behind a good team with expectations. Then how would he handle the playoffs? These are questions that the Habs are in no shape to have answered anytime soon, and there's only one way to find out.

In the meantime, I have no issues with seeing him back.

 

[B1g B1rd]

Confidence is also key for goalies.
1) He's done a good job with a worse than average team this year. Confidence booster...
2) He just won an international title. Good for confidence? For sure
3) On a different spectrum, he seems to be able to handle the pressure of the media and the Mtl market.

I would resign him at 2,5m for 2/3 years and give him the #1 spot next year and see what happens. Anyways, what do we have to lose?

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Confidence is also key for goalies.
1) He's done a good job with a worse than average team this year. Confidence booster...
2) He just won an international title. Good for confidence? For sure
3) On a different spectrum, he seems to be able to handle the pressure of the media and the Mtl market.

I would resign him at 2,5m for 2/3 years and give him the #1 spot next year and see what happens. Anyways, what do we have to lose?

Confidence is the key to consistency which is why goalies take so long to develop as their ability to control their emotions often isn't there until their mid twenties. This is also why it is a bad idea to take them early because it is very difficult to predict such things from speaking with a teenager.

 

[Tuggy]

Congrats to Monty on the Gold medal. He had a great tournament.

Big year coming up for him.

He's 26 now and in a UFA contract year.

I definitely think the Habs would be interested in keeping him around.

He played well last season given the team/defense in front of him.

 

[schwang26]

With Monty, it's all about consistency. He's had stretches where he looks incredible, and others where he just loses it.

What makes him hard to project is how will he play behind a good team? Expectations change, how does he handle that? I suppose this tournament provides a glimpse, but it's a short tournament too.

I wouldn't say he had bad stretches last year at all.

If he’s not the #1 I’ll drink my own pee!!!!

He is. I don't get the debate here. If people can't see the constant improvement in his game, then you haven't been paying attention.

 

[Pat Riot]

Give him a 3 years contract at 2,75 millions per season

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Give him a 3 years contract at 2,75 millions per season

Highly doubt he gets that much money. He only played 1 season in which he looked like a legitimate nhl goalie.

 

[Vachon23]

Give him a 3 years contract at 2,75 millions per season

Wait at the end of the next season when we will have a better idea of what we have in Monty.

 

[The Real Timo]

If he’s not the #1 I’ll drink my own pee!!!!

this board has the propensity of bringing the most unusual topics... (not that I judge)

Congrats to Monty on the Gold medal. He had a great tournament.

Big year coming up for him.

He's 26 now and in a UFA contract year.

I definitely think the Habs would be interested in keeping him around.

He played well last season given the team/defense in front of him.

Wideman and Harris is more than enough to pitch at least half a dozen shutouts.

 

[rik schau]

Wait at the end of the next season when we will have a better idea of what we have in Monty.

Won't he be a UFA? cost more then no?

 

[Vachon23]

Won't he be a UFA? cost more then no?

Depends on his season.. If he does prove he's a #1, then yes he will cost more and I won't mind paying a little bit more. But If he doesn't prove he's a #1 next year, then we won't be stock with him and 2024 look like a good Goalie market year

 

[rik schau]

Depends on his season.. If he does prove he's a #1, then yes he will cost more and I won't mind paying a little bit more. But If he doesn't prove he's a #1 next year, then we won't be stock with him and 2024 look like a good Goalie market year

Naturally,but if he's having a solid season,can he be extended during the season,the sample should be enough by end of calendar year,give him lots of work.

 

[Vachon23]

Naturally,but if he's having a solid season,can he be extended during the season,the sample should be enough by end of calendar year,give him lots of work.

If I'm Monty agent and he have a great start, I'm waiting at the end of the season to have the more money possible

 

[rik schau]

If I'm Monty agent and he have a great start, I'm waiting at the end of the season to have the more money possible

Who's decision is it? if Monty has the same season as last,which was more than fine,he will get a substantial,increase,will Montreal still be interested?

 

[Vachon23]

Who's decision is it? if Monty has the same season as last,which was more than fine,he will get a substantial,increase,will Montreal still be interested?

No reason to not keep him if he plays the same way he did this year. We will need a short gap goalie before any of Dobes/Dichow/2023 pick is ready and he's a local that is like by the media and fans.

Only way I'm not seeing him returning is if he was have a shot in acquiring our #1 goalie for the futur

 

[rik schau]

No reason to not keep him if he plays the same way he did this year. We will need a short gap goalie before any of Dobes/Dichow/2023 pick is ready and he's a local that is like by the media and fans.

Only way I'm not seeing him returning is if he was have a shot in acquiring our #1 goalie for the futur

What might the projected cap hit of a UFA goalie go for next season 3.5-6,more? Montreal would be willing to do this?

 

[Vachon23]

What might the projected cap hit of a UFA goalie go for next season 3.5-6,more? Montreal would be willing to do this?

If Monty has the same type of season then last year ?

Probably between 3-4.5m for 2-3 years

 

[Adam Michaels]

If he’s not the #1 I’ll drink my own pee!!!!

I think he'll end up as the #1, as well. And it's not just this tournament that made me think that. The guy's been solid for the Habs most nights he plays. He's responsible for a bunch of the points Habs picked up along the way, much to the dismay of many.

 

[rik schau]

If Monty has the same type of season then last year ?

Probably between 3-4.5m for 2-3 years

Guess we'll see down the road,till then...............

 

[LaP]

I agree. Consistency is what seperates the goalie's at this level. Alot of guys can look good on a random day.

Despite the mediocrity that montreal has been mired in the last 30 years, they generally tend to find quality goalies, even if its a short run. From Hackett to theodore to huet to Halak to price. There was also vokoun in the system at the time and garon who looked promising in Montreal before being traded. His career didn't unfold quite as I expected but the point is that the Habs have a knack for finding goalies that perform well for them.

I'm hoping Monty can continue that run. Goalies are fickle, and we don't know how Monty will be behind a good team with expectations. Then how would he handle the playoffs? These are questions that the Habs are in no shape to have answered anytime soon, and there's only one way to find out.

In the meantime, I have no issues with seeing him back.

At least he passed the test of doing well with the pressure to win. He must still prove he can handle the workload of a number 1 though. I often say and i totally mean it that doing well and producing on a losing team is not the same as doing it on a winning time. Prime example of that is Max Domi. You must always approach with grand caution the performance of guys who stuggled on winning team and then goes on to do well when "traded to / claimed by" a losing team. This said it's not like Sam is coming out of nowhere he was a 3rd round pick so there was always potential there.

 

[RC51]

well its about time for the habs. is SM a #1 goalie ? lets see, 32 number one goalies in the league. is he the best NO, is he average (16th) looks like it. I have NO problem going into next year with JA and SM. It's a good duo. some teams chose to have a better #1 at the cost of a c+ goalie as #2

 

[JianYang]

At least he passed the test of doing well with the pressure to win. He must still prove he can handle the workload of a number 1 though. I often say and i totally mean it that doing well and producing on a losing team is not the same as doing it on a winning time. Prime example of that is Max Domi. You must always approach with grand caution the performance of guys who stuggled on winning team and then goes on to do well when "traded to / claimed by" a losing team. This said it's not like Sam is coming out of nowhere he was a 3rd round pick so there was always potential there.

Domi to me is an up and down player with far too many "downs" to be trusted on a winning team. I think he could have a strong season on a team whether it's winning or losing, but the probability just isn't good enough. His best season came on a non playoff team, but I struggle to call them a "losing team" because they ended the season with 96 points.

 

[Habs13]

well its about time for the habs. is SM a #1 goalie ? lets see, 32 number one goalies in the league. is he the best NO, is he average (16th) looks like it. I have NO problem going into next year with JA and SM. It's a good duo. some teams chose to have a better #1 at the cost of a c+ goalie as #2

I'd rather go into it with Monty backed up by Primeau.