Samuel Montembeault's next contract: His agent would be very demanding according to Georges Laraque and Tony Marinaro

While goaltending coach Stéphane Waite believes the goalie is worth between 3 and 3.5 million per year, Georges Laraque has a different perspective. Samuel's agent currently holds a significant bargaining chip, and Kent Hughes will have to buy his autonomy, which is a considerable factor.

"He becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he knows very well that if the Canadiens don't give him what he wants, he will manage to find takers elsewhere. [...] His agent will not ask for less than four million dollars per season." - Georges Laraque

Tony Marinaro agrees that his contract will be more lucrative. He believes Montembeault will ask for more than Jake Allen's salary and might even reach 5 million per year.

"For me, he will get more than Jake Allen's contract (3.85 million). If the Canadiens grant him a new contract and make him their number one goaltender, he will earn more than Jake Allen, for sure." - Tony Marinaro

If these statements are indeed true, it explains why the negotiations are taking longer than expected. What's less easy to understand is why the Canadiens aren't playing him more often.

If Samuel is truly the future goaltender for the Canadiens, and his agent is aiming for a significant contract, why isn't the team testing him to evaluate his performance in a number one role? It remains quite intriguing, in any case.