Frederik Andersen's injury setback could open the door to a trade with the Canadiens

Frederik Andersen's injury just changed everything about the Oilers crease, and now Samuel Montembeault's name is getting louder in Edmonton circles.

Andersen is expected to miss time into late October after getting hurt during offseason training, leaving Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi to hold things down early on.

That kind of uncertainty tends to send GMs searching for a proven veteran, and Montembeault fits the profile.

The Canadiens goalie is entering the final year of his contract, carrying a $3.15 million cap hit that would slot in easily for a team already tight against the ceiling.

Montreal has been dealing with a crowded crease of its own, with Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler pushing for starts, which makes Montembeault the logical odd man out.

His 2025-26 season was rough by his own standards, a 3.43 goals-against average and a .872 save percentage that opened the door for Dobes to take over.

Still, Montembeault has shown he can be a reliable starter when healthy, and Montreal may prefer to cash him in now rather than let his value keep sliding.

The cap math is the tricky part for the Oilers, who are already carrying significant money in net between Andersen, Jarry and Levi.

Adding another contract means someone else likely has to move first, whether that is a depth piece or a bigger name entirely.

Whether this ever becomes a real conversation between the two front offices is still unclear, but the fit on paper is hard to ignore for a team desperate for stability between the pipes.

Edmonton has been burned by goaltending questions for years, and another setback for Andersen only adds pressure on management to find a fix before the games start counting.

Also read on House Of Hockey :
Wild face major Quinn Hughes concern after Elliotte Friedman reveals contract stance