The Montreal Canadiens’ crease has been a mess this season, which has undoubtedly held them back from legitimate contender status. Sam Montembeault’s numbers are ugly, Jakub Dobeš has been incredibly hot and cold, and Jacob Fowler has that advantage, but he’s not there yet to carry the load on his own.
All told, the Canadiens rank near the bottom of the league in save percentage. Most nights they win despite their goaltending.
The Canadiens have been loosely linked to Sergei Bobrovsky in Trade Rumors
Sergei Bobrovsky is almost 38, but he has a resume that stands out. He’s collected two Vezina trophies, two consecutive Stanley Cup wins and seems suited for high-stakes games. That said, his 2025-26 numbers are hardly inspiring (0.871 SV% in a down season for Florida overall). So who really knows what he has left in the tank? However, the pedigree plus the Canadiens’ needs setting up a possible move that’s really interesting.
Would calling him in solve everything? Maybe a little. Maybe not. It’s more complicated than that.
Why a Bobrovsky move to Montreal could work
Bobrovsky is on an expiring contract and he brings experience and calmness that the Canadiens simply don’t have in goal at the moment. Even in a bad year, he tends to stabilize things. And sometimes a goalkeeper just needs a change of scenery to get back to work. Montreal has controlled the puck better than Florida this season, so he may not have to deal with the same chaos. Even a small jump back to his usual form would be a huge upgrade from what the Canadiens are getting now.
The obvious hurdles are his age and his contract. Placing a $10 million hit at the deadline takes some serious maneuvering. And even with retention, it will likely cost a lot to make the deal work. And this is not the dominant Bobrovsky of a few years ago.
If Montreal pays a premium and gets the version we saw this season, that’s a tough pill to swallow. It’s also not a long-term answer: Fowler is meant to grow into the job, and the organization still believes in him. Plus, Florida hasn’t quite decided which direction it’s going to go in yet. Maybe they move him, maybe they don’t, and other teams are sniffing around too. There’s no guarantee Montreal will even win the bid.
Where does all this leave the Canadiens?
A deal like this would be all about the playoffs. Bobrovsky was absolutely able to solve the crease and give the team a fighting chance. He’s an assassin, and a costly one. Moreover, there is a real risk involved. If Kent Hughes can make the numbers work without giving up much of the future, it’s worth talking about. If not, maybe they should just take advantage of what they have.
As the deadline approaches, this is definitely a storyline to watch. Would you make the trade if it meant giving up a first-round pick and a solid prospect?
Related: Crosby made Nick Suzuki ‘Next Man Up’, could be for Team Canada again
Discover more from NHL Trade Talk
Subscribe to receive the latest posts by email.
#Canadiens #ready #bet #big #risky #Bobrovsky #trade