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The Montreal Canadiens have been impressive to start the season. They are currently sitting in third in the Atlantic Division, one point out of second and three points out of first. They have three games in hand on the Bruins, who are in second, and one game in hand on the Lightning, who are in first. On the other side, the St. Louis Blues haven’t opened their 2025–26 season the way they hoped. They made the playoffs last season after a winning streak in the latter part of the season to propel them. The Blues went seven games with the Jets in the first round. They even had a 2-0 lead along with a 3-1 lead in the game, before the Jets won in overtime to end St. Louis’ season. This season, they are seventh in the Central Division at the time of writing.
Once again, goalie Jordan Binnington’s name is popping up in trade rumors. One team that could certainly use his services is the Montreal Canadiens. The trade would be a lateral movement as Sam Montembault would be the piece going back to the Blues, as it would give both goalies a change of scenery.
Jordan Binnington is 32 years old and has had a rough start to the season. He is 6-7-5 with a .874 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average. Sam Montembeault is 29 and is 5-6-1 with a .861 save percentage and a 3.61 goals-against average. Both are under contract for two more seasons. Montembeault carries a $3.15 million cap hit while Binnington carries a $6 million cap hit. The deal would give Montreal a goalie who has won a Stanley Cup and will eventually turn the reins over to future goalie Jacob Fowler. Both teams have the cap space to make the deal happen, and it would benefit both goalies greatly. Â
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Jordan Binnington
The Blues drafted Binnington 88th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. In nine seasons all with the Blues, he’s appeared in 355 games. He is 179-123-41 with a .905 save percentage, a 2.80 goals-against average, and 18 shutouts. He finished second in Calder Memorial Trophy voting back in 2018-19 and fifth in Vezina Trophy voting that season, which was his highest finish. In 48 career playoff starts, he is 23-24-0 with a .909 save percentage, a 2.70 goals-against average, and a shutout. In the year he won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, he went 16-10-0. He posted a .914 save percentage, a 2.46 goals-against average, and a shutout.
Sam Montembeault
The Florida Panthers drafted Montembeault with the 77th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He played in 25 games for them over two seasons, going 9-8-3 with a .892 save percentage and a 3.20 goals-against average. Montreal claimed him off waivers in 2021. He’s appeared in 195 games for the Canadiens, going 76-82-26 with a .897 save percentage, a 3.24 goals-against average, and five shutouts. He finished eighth in Vezina Trophy voting last season. In 220 career games, he is 85-90-29 with a .897 save percentage, a 3.23 goals-against average, and five shutouts. He appeared in three Stanley Cup playoff games last season, going 0-2-0 with a .908 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average.
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