Canadiens Head Coach St. Louis Wants Sam Montembeault to Own His Moment

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis isn’t shy about telling it like he sees it. When asked if it’s important to have a clear number-one goalie, he didn’t tiptoe. In a recent interview, he was asked if his team needed a definitive starting goalie. After hemming and hawing a bit, he just said that a team needs the goalie position to be solid.

To paraphrase, he noted that sometimes one guy carries the workload. Nothing fancy —just some situations are different from others. I was almost as if he hadn’t considered the question in just that way. That’s a bit funny, in a way, for a head coach who is always thinking about what it takes to run a team in this league.

For St. Louis, His Goalies Need Confidence First, Workload Second

St. Louis is betting on Sam Montembeault. He anticipates that “Monty” will grab that workload. He also stated that he was not just shoving responsibility on the youngster. He’s trying to make sure Montembeault feels good about his game so he can play with confidence. The bottom line is that the Canadiens need a goalie who can shoulder the pressure, and St. Louis is making sure Monty knows he’s trusted.

The Canadiens’ head coach also emphasized the importance of rhythm for goalies. In hockey, a goalie’s timing and confidence are everything. One solid game leads to another, and before long, the netminder is truly in the groove. St. Louis is clearly focused on helping Montembeault build consistency and comfort, so he can take charge when the team needs him most.

The Takeaway for the Canadiens

The bottom line for the Canadiens? St. Louis isn’t here to babysit. He wants Montembeault to rise to the challenge, take ownership of his workload, and play with freedom. It’s a straightforward approach, but Canadiens fans should like it. There’s no hiding behind rotations or “shared duties” here. If Monty takes the ice, he takes responsibility—and that’s how you build a goalie you can lean on all season.