The Canadian embarked on a menage a trois in front of the net because management decided so.
This is, among other things, confirmed by general manager Kent Hughes during his mid-season review Monday morning at the Bell Centre.
“It’s our decision,” admitted Hughes during this assessment which lasted just over 20 minutes. We were not ready to place Cayden Primeau on waivers. Based on the discussions we had during training camp, we were pretty sure that he would have been claimed if we had made this decision. So we decided that we would keep the three goalkeepers, and that we would evaluate the transaction possibilities as the season progressed. »
At this very precise moment, the three are still there, and this situation could continue. But with the trade deadline (March 8) fast approaching, the question of the three goalies will remain at the center of discussions in those around the Bell Center.
According to the CEO, all it takes is an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“If there was a trade we could make, we would do it,” he added. The plan was not to have three goalies for the entire season. It’s still not the plan, but I can’t tell you 100% today that it’s certain that we’ll make a trade. »
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
“I don’t like to give a title to someone, because I want Sam to push every day to be the best goalie possible,” explained Kent Hughes as to whether Samuel Montembeault is the number one goalie of the team.
Kent Hughes still spoke of a “great problem” concerning the youngest of the three, Cayden Primeau, who could have started the season in the American League, but who took advantage of the circumstances to gain ground with the Canadian.
“If we knew that he wasn’t going to be claimed on waivers, maybe we would have sent him to Laval to start the season… But because we didn’t do that, we had the chance to see him more often in the NHL, and he shows us that he is ready to take on this challenge. »
While waiting for a transaction which will come, or perhaps not, the management of the Canadian still refuses to say very clearly that Samuel Montembeault is the number one goalie of this team, even if the figures tend to demonstrate that he was the best of the three since the start of the season.
“I don’t like to give a title to someone, because I want Sam to push every day to be the best goalie he can be,” explained Kent Hughes. At the moment, the way we’re making him play, it shows that the coaches have confidence in Sam, he plays more often than the others… Do we want all three goalkeepers to play? Yes, until there is an exchange. They are all good goalkeepers. Overall, at mid-season, they have been one of the strengths of our team. »
This seemingly temporary three-way system may be here to stay in the end. In any case, until further notice.
“We don’t tell the coaches who to play, but we tell them that there should be three goalkeepers playing,” added the Montreal GM.