Sam Montembeault
Canadian goaltender drafted by Florida, later claimed by Montreal.
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Sam Montembeault is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Florida Panthers picked him in the third round, 77th overall, at the 2015 NHL entry draft. He played major junior hockey for four seasons with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, then spent two seasons with the Panthers. In October 2021, the Panthers placed him on waivers, and the Canadiens claimed him.
International play
On the international stage, Montembeault played for Canada’s junior team in 2016. He later suited up for the senior team at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, winning a gold medal. He was also selected for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, where Canada again took gold.
Junior
Montembeault started his junior career in Quebec, playing midget hockey for the Trois-Rivières Estacades of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League (QMAAA) from 2011 to 2013. He earned a spot on the QMAAA Second All-Star Team and received the league’s Best Goalie Prospect award for the 2012–13 season. The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada then selected him 40th overall in the 2013 QMJHL entry draft.
During his second QMJHL season in 2014–15, he appeared in a career-high 52 games. That performance led the Florida Panthers to pick him in the third round of the 2015 NHL draft. The following season, he posted a 17–19–8 record with a 2.63 goals against average (GAA), a .901 save percentage, and three shutouts.
In the playoffs, he helped the Armada beat the Val-d'Or Foreurs in the first round, earning the Vaughn Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Week award in early April with a 3–1 record, 2.27 GAA, and .933 save percentage. He finished the postseason with a 2.45 GAA, .925 save percentage, and one shutout. He also took part in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and the CHL Canada/Russia Series.
On May 10, 2016, Montembeault signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Panthers. He returned to the Armada for his final major junior season in 2016–17, setting new career highs with a 2.40 GAA and a .907 save percentage, earning QMJHL Second All-Star Team honours.
Professional
After attending the Panthers’ training camp in 2017, he was reassigned to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. He made his professional debut on October 13, 2017, stopping 25 shots in a 3–2 loss to the Providence Bruins. He got his first win on November 3, 2017, in a 5–3 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Lore & Background
Montembeault played major junior hockey for four seasons with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL. He was selected by the Florida Panthers in the 2015 NHL entry draft and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the team in May 2016. After two seasons in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, he made his NHL debut for the Panthers on March 2, 2019, in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
He posted a 4–0–1 record in his first five starts. Over two seasons with Florida, he appeared in 25 games, compiling a 9–8–3 record with a 3.20 goals against average and .892 save percentage. In October 2021, the Panthers placed him on waivers, and he was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens the following day.
Reader's Guide
Montembeault's tenure with the Florida Panthers was brief but marked by early promise. He was drafted in the third round in 2015 and developed through the AHL before making his NHL debut in 2019. His initial five starts with the Panthers yielded a 4–0–1 record, and then-general manager Dale Tallon noted significant development in his play after the 2018–19 season. However, he struggled with consistency, posting a 3.34 GAA and .890 save percentage in his second season.
He did not play any NHL games for the Panthers in the 2020–21 season, spending the year in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch. His departure from Florida came via waivers in October 2021, after which he was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens. With the Canadiens, he became a primary backup and later a starter, earning his first career NHL shutout in February 2022 and signing a three-year, $9.45 million contract extension in December 2023. Internationally, he won gold with Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Championship and the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.
Career statistics and honours
Medals
- Gold 2023 IIHF World Championship
- Gold 2025 — 2024–25 NHL season
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Canada | WJC | 6th | DNP | ||||||||
| 2023 | Canada | WC | Gold | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 423 | 10 | 1 | 1.42 | .939 |
| 2025 | Canada | 4NF | Gold | DNP | ||||||||
| Senior totals | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 423 | 10 | 1 | 1.42 | — | |||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| QMAAA | ||
| Second All-Star Team | 2013 | |
| Best Goalie Prospect | 2013 | |
| CHL | ||
| CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game | 2015 | |
| CHL Canada/Russia Series | 2015 | |
| QMJHL | ||
| Second All-Star Team | 2017 | |
| AHL | ||
| All-Star Game | 2019 | |
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Sam Montembeault (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
More in Florida Panthers Players
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Sam Montembeault (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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