There probably is no lower moment for a pro athlete than being placed on waivers and having to contemplate his future.
Samuel Montembeault knows the feeling all too well, having lived through the experience before the start of the 2021-22 season. But former Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, in one of his most prescient moves, claimed the goaltender from Florida after Carey Price sustained a knee injury.
After being slow to develop, the 6-foot-3, 222-pound Montembeault might be the franchise’s future between the pipes. On Friday, he was rewarded with a three-year, US$9.45-million contract. Montembeault was in the final season of a two-year, US$1-million deal.
“It means a lot,” Montembeault said Saturday, after the team’s morning skate at the Bell Centre. “The progression I’ve had since I’ve been here. Going through waivers, I knew at that time there wasn’t a spot for me on the roster in Florida. I was lucky enough to end up here in Montreal.”
While Montreal isn’t always the easiest destination for a francophone player, the unflappable Montembeault, a Bécancour native, handles the pressure with unbridled aplomb.
“Just as a player, we put enough pressure on ourselves to perform every night,” he said. “We don’t add pressure on ourselves. We just want to be the best for the team every night.”
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