Al Montoya
First Cuban-American NHL goaltender; played nine seasons for six teams.
Al Montoya, a Cuban-American former professional ice hockey goaltender, spent nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Arizona Coyotes, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, and Edmonton Oilers. He holds the distinction of being the first Cuban-American to play in the NHL.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Montoya grew up in nearby Glenview, Illinois. As a youth, he competed in the 1999 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Chicago Young Americans. He later played for Loyola Academy and the Texas Tornado of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). After a season with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2001–02, he attended the University of Michigan, playing for the Wolverines. His final collegiate season in 2004–05 was particularly strong, as he posted a 30–7–3 record. Montoya represented the United States twice at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, backstopping the team to its first gold medal in 2004, where he was named to the tournament All-Star team. The 2005 tournament, held in the U.S., ended without a medal after a loss to the Czech Republic in the bronze medal game.
Selected sixth overall by the New York Rangers in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Montoya signed a three-year entry-level contract in summer 2005 and began his professional career with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL). Over three seasons with Hartford, he compiled a 66–34–4 record and a 5–5 playoff mark. With Henrik Lundqvist established as the Rangers’ starter, Montoya was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes on February 26, 2008, along with Marcel Hossa, for Fredrik Sjöström, David LeNeveu, and Josh Gratton. After re-signing with the Coyotes in July 2008, he started the 2008–09 season with their AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. He made his NHL debut on April 1, 2009, recording a shutout in a 3–0 win over the Colorado Avalanche, and finished the season with a 3–1 record in five games. That spring, he played for the United States at the 2009 IIHF World Championship, starting one game—a 6–2 victory over France.
On February 9, 2011, Montoya was traded to the New York Islanders for a sixth-round draft pick.
Quick Facts
- Height
- 6 ft 2 in
- Weight
- 225 lb
- Born
- 13 February 1985
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Position
- Goaltender
- Catches
- Left
- Played for
- Phoenix Coyotes; New York Islanders; Winnipeg Jets; Florida Panthers; Montreal Canadiens; Edmonton Oilers
- Draft
- 6th overall
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Montoya grew up in Glenview, Illinois, and played youth hockey with the Chicago Young Americans at the 1999 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He attended Loyola Academy and later played for the Texas Tornado of the NAHL before joining the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2001–02. He then played three seasons at the University of Michigan, posting a 30–7–3 record in his final year. Montoya backstopped the United States to its first gold medal at the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was named to the tournament All-Star team. He also represented the U.S. at the 2005 World Juniors, where the team failed to medal, and later at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships.
Reader's Guide
Montoya's NHL career began after being drafted sixth overall by the New York Rangers in 2004. He spent most of his first three professional seasons with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, posting a 66–34–4 record. Traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2008, he made his NHL debut on April 1, 2009, recording a shutout in a 3–0 win over the Colorado Avalanche. After a trade to the New York Islanders in 2011, he played regularly for the first time, posting a 9–5–5 record with a .921 save percentage. He signed with the Winnipeg Jets as a backup for the 2012–13 season, then moved to the Florida Panthers in 2014. With the Montreal Canadiens in 2016, he allowed 10 goals in a 10–0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the largest margin of defeat for Montreal since 1995. He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2018. After retiring, he became director of community outreach for the Dallas Stars in 2021.
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