Sam Montembeault hurt, Canadiens recall Jacob Fowler

Nobody in Montreal has put a timeline on it yet. The first word came from Elliotte Friedman, and it was not much to go on.

Elliotte Friedman

@FriedgeHNIC

Sam Montembeault injured today at practice…should know more tomorrow about his situation/status

Canadiens Montréal@CanadiensMTL

Les Canadiens ont rappelé le gardien Jacob Fowler du Rocket de Laval. The Canadiens have recalled goaltender Jacob Fowler from the Laval Rocket. #GoHabsGo t.co/oUMKRAfzxB

Here is what we know. Montembeault went down trying to make a save and was favouring his right leg as he left the ice. RDS reported there was no contact. Martin St. Louis said after practice that his goalie was still being evaluated. A non-contact leg injury on a save is the kind of thing that turns out to be either nothing or a few weeks, and nobody is saying which yet.

The recall is mostly about numbers. Montreal has to dress 2 goalies against Nashville on Thursday, so if Montembeault can't go, Fowler backs up, and maybe more than that. He's earned the look. Fowler opened the year with a.945 save percentage through 2 games with the Rocket, and he already has NHL time from last season: 17 games for Montreal with a.908.

The awkward part is the guy who isn't hurt. Jakub Dobes came into the year as the starter and has an.857 save percentage through 3 starts. That's ugly. Montembeault hasn't played a game this season, and last year he finished at.872 over 25 appearances, so it isn't like the Habs had a sure thing waiting behind Dobes anyway. Now the backup is a question mark and the starter is fighting the puck.

That's why this matters past the depth chart. If Montembeault is out for any stretch, Montreal's crease is a struggling starter and a 21-year-old who has shown real flashes. If Dobes stays cold, there's a real case for giving Fowler the net, and that's a much bigger story than a practice tweak.

For anyone betting Thursday's game, this is something to watch. Goalie news moves NHL lines, and until Montreal says who is starting against Nashville, the price on the Habs carries a question mark. Watch for the update Friedman pointed to and the morning skate. If Fowler gets the start, Montreal's whole goalie situation could look different for the next few weeks.