Nah georgiev has been much better and takes on a MASSIVE workload.

Uhh no it's not. For a solid tandem goalie maybe. but that's way too much for a backup.

I'd say that's too much for Monty.

That' s a lot of money for a goalie that has been very bad for three seasons and is finally playing decent this year. But good for him. Wish my job would give me 10 mil for being below average lol

I've been tracking goalie contracts and deployment for a few years now.

For 2023 the Avg Cap Hit per Start = $88,758

For reference, I have found a range like this seems to hold fairly true for deployment (major injuries aside):
Workhorse Goalie = 59-72 starts (80% start rate or 4 out of 5 games)
1A = 47-58 starts (65% start rate or 2 out of 3 games)
Tandem = 36-46 starts (50% start rate; every other or "hot hand" rotation that evens out)
1B = 24-35 starts (35% start rate or 1 out of 3 games)
Backup = 10-23 starts (20% start rate or 1 out of 5 games)
Spot Duty/Call-up = 1-9 starts (injury fill-in from AHL, rookies on ELC slide, or the "old school" backup that only played in B2B games)

Cap inflation next year is expected to be around 5%; thus projecting a $93,542 figure (the actual will be less since many AAV's carryover; but the UFA/RFA's are unkown)

This means the $3,150,000 contract is roughly "average price" for 34 starts per year; thus an above average 1B goalie.

Another way of looking at is the Habs committed 41% of an average team's goalie budget to Montembeault.

In that sense this seems perfectly fine. The question for Montreal (a team coming off one of the most expensive goalie contracts ever) is are they trying to lowball the position (Avs, Kings, Coyotes) due to lots of pending RFA deals; or do they see someone else as their 1A long term (Primeau, Fowler ?).

The good thing about this deal is they have flexibility either way (and with lack of NMC/NTC).

Timmy Thomas was 31 the first year he started in Boston. Goalies are a different breed.

I think we have to "redefine" what a backup is. See my post above

Top 10 on goals saved above expected last year playing behind a rookie defence. Don’t just look at save%, GAA and call it a day.

More than fair. The team plays better when he’s in net, shows they have confidence in Monty.

The other thing I like about Montreal is their Goalie succession planning:

Not counting the current season:
Jake Allen - 33 years old, 1 year remaining (limited 3 team NTC 2024-25)
Sam Montembeault - 27 years old, 3 years remaining
Cayden Primeau - 24 years old, 1 year remaining
Jacob Fowler - 19 years old, (ELC pending)

Where’d you see he was 1st in 5v5 GSAx? According to Evolving Hockey he’s 8th and according to Moneypuck he’s 7th

Fair but there are very few examples of goalies who don't show anything till they're 26 and then become sustainable options. And just from looking at the numbers Timmy was pretty great everywhere coming up.

Georgiev was a backup when he signed his contract. Also he has the best Dcore of the league playing in front of him.

Gustavson didn't have a Vezina caliber season since, you know... he wasnt a Vezina finalist duh (btw, he got ZERO vote LOL) Also, everybody knew he was playing over his head...

Vanecek was so high regarded in Washington that they traded him away for a 3rd round pick and signed an UFA instead of giving him 3x$3.5M?!?! Damn, I can't imagine what they would have done if they DIDNT like him!

Obviously, you would say anything to fit your narative.

I think you're overcomplicating it a bit. I don't think that's how orgs look at goalies at all.

Just by the eye test he's been unbelievable all year especially since the Vegas game in October. Then you add the best 5v5 GSAx goalie in the league this season. Top5 since the halfway part of last season.

The Habs should be a bottom 5 team but this guy keeps them in so many games!



Spoken like someone that has never watched the guy play. He was hurt mostly in 2021-22 with a wrist injury that affected his glove hand and played because the Habs had no options to replace him. Goalies always mature in their mid 20s.



Mr. False Equivalency strikes again

To think that outside the top 5 starting goalies in the league. Anyone to think goaltending isnt a systems issue, really needs to evaluate their hockey IQ.

I tend to do that in most things.

But my research is based on observations, coach and GM interviews, detailed scheduling analysis and goalie start patterns amongst teams for multiple seasons.

Good deal for a 1B goalie. He’s played real solid past couple seasons for the habs.

Thank you. Someone who understands the meaning of words. I hear starter, backup, 1A, 1B thrown around way too often.

I prefer 60-game starter, 50-game starter, 40-game starter, 20-game starter, etc....but you have encapsulated this well.

And kudos for including inflation. People see tomorrow's prices today and they freak out.

It's a great deal, as long as his play holds up, even better if he performs better.

Seems like a little too much for Montambeault, but my opinion may be colored by having been an innocent but too-close bystander to two of the more spectacular failures of guys (Jack Campbell, Cal Petersen) who played better than Monty before signing big contracts but then . . .

The thing is it can change on a dime when a "starting" goalie struggles, or when a "backup" gets hot. Like now Swayman is debatable their #1 guy when going into the season he would have been categorized as a 1b behind Ullmark

For sure but you "buy" a guy based on expectations.

Ullmark-Swayman fit the "Tandem" category since pre season and what the coach/GM said and haven't changed at all. In fact it is a near "perfect" split.

LAK started as Tandem and then 1A/1B and maybe even going into Workhorse/Backup soon.

What I mean is that Swayman was never what I categorize as a "Backup"; hence why I suggest the term get better defined; it makes it seem like he is on the same goalie start expectation as Anthony Stolarz or Kevin Lankinen.

What I'm saying is that Montembeault is going to (in theory) be a tandem goalie and you're comparing him to starters.

Georgiev was backing up Shesterkin, the reigning Vezina winner. Avs traded for him with the hopes of putting him behind a good defense and playing him a starter's workload. I agree, that was a trade with a good bit of risk! But he was signed with the intent to carry his own net, not to be a tandem or a 1A/1B guy.

Gustavsson didn't get Vezina votes because he only played 39 games after taking over the starter role late season. But by every metric (whether you prefer raw save %, xG-style models, whatever) has Gustavsson's 2022-2023 season as a top 5 goalie in the league, up there with Ullmark/Sorokin/etc. Any other interpretation is disingenuous. That said, he looks like **** this season lmao.

And like I said: it's been a minute since Vanacek was on the market. But the dude was an RFA and got a 3rd + and moving up a few picks in the 2nd & the Capitals were already moving ahead with Kuemper (the top FA goalie in that class). Trade at the time was considered great value for NJ and Capitals were already shifting another direction.

Continuing to live up to your name again! Nice to see you, hope all is well!