Brendan Gallagher has once again stepped into the spotlight, this time not for his own play but to defend goaltender Samuel Montembeault. Hours before facing the Florida Panthers, Gallagher delivered a pointed message: the locker room’s belief in Montembeault remains intact, regardless of what the stat sheet says.
“He’s battled hard, he’s worked hard. There have been times this year, it hasn’t gone his way but his mentality and work ethic hasn’t changed. Our belief in him hasn’t wavered either… When he’s in the net, you’re always confident and it’s no different tonight,” Gallagher declared.
The statement is striking given the context. Gallagher, 33, still earns $6.5 million per season through 2026-27, yet has only 12 points in 38 games this year. Montembeault, 29, is in the midst of a rough stretch: a 5-6-1 record, a .857 save percentage, and a 3.65 goals-against average in 2025-26. His stint with the Laval Rocket offered slightly better numbers, but the struggles at NHL level are undeniable.
Last season, Montembeault carried a heavy workload with 62 games played, finishing 31-24-7 with a .902 save percentage. He knows the grind, but patience in Montreal is expensive—and trust even more so. Gallagher’s public defense is not just a gesture; it’s a signal that the veterans want Montembeault to reclaim his spot, even as the numbers suggest otherwise.
Tonight against Florida, Montembeault will have the chance to answer that faith. Gallagher’s words may be costly, but in a city where confidence can vanish overnight, they could prove decisive.