It's more by default than anything.. we are very thin on young goalies and I'd rather invest in Montembeault than in Hammond when/if Allen is back. Nothing guaranteed but technics could be developed, especially at 25, fighting no so much...
Oh absolutely thin on goaltenders if Price can’t get back to game shape.
I don’t see Hammond staying for more than the end of the year. He’s just a stop gap till we can stabilize the situation. If I have to offer a contract to one of them, it definitely goes to Montembeault as he is 9 years younger than Hammond (who’s career is pretty much over).
For now, I rather run Hammond as his stats are better in every level than Monty, and his speed/technique is better. He doesn’t fight as much for the puck (which what I like from Monty), but right now he’s a better goalie (in my opinion).
When Allen comes back, and if Hammond offered good performances you place Montembeault on LTIR and let him have his surgery. He obviously seems affected by it.
Just by looking at the free agents at the end of the year you can easily find better back up options than all those guys. I don’t know if the new management has any plan for Monty, and I wouldn’t be against signing him but he would probably be AHL bound. I doubt he gets that much better, if by now he isn’t the best technical goalie and lacks speed in his lateral movements I don’t see how he improves much.
Everything depends on Price’s situation. It will be interesting to see how it goes. In the end Monty might be re-signed because of his RFA status and makes league minimum, could act as a stop gap if anything happens to an other goalie.