Canadiens’ Jake Evans out 4-6 weeks; Montembeault recalled from conditioning stint
The Montreal Canadiens announced a couple pieces of news on Saturday.
Firstly, forward Jake Evans will miss the next four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.
Les Canadiens ont annoncé que l'attaquant Jake Evans sera absent pour une période de 4 à 6 semaines en raison d'une blessure au bas du corps. The Canadiens have announced that forward Jake Evans will miss 4 to 6 weeks with a lower-body injury.
Secondly, goaltender Samuel Montembeault has been recalled from his conditioning stint with the AHL’s Laval Rocket.
Les Canadiens ont procédé au rappel du gardien Samuel Montembeault de son affectation pour conditionnement au Rocket de Laval. The Canadiens have recalled goaltender Samuel Montembeault from his conditioning assignment with the Laval Rocket.
Evans, 29, sustained his injury in a knee-on-knee collision with Pittsburgh Penguins forward Justin Brazeau on December 20th.
The Canadiens have announced that Jake Evans will not return to tonight's game after this play
In 34 games with Montreal this season, the Toronto native has five goals and five assists for 10 points.
Evans is in the first season of a four-year, $11.4 million deal with the Canadiens. Initially selected by Montreal in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Evans has spent his entire NHL career with the Canadiens. He is coming off a career-best campaign in 2024-25, in which he put up 13 goals and 23 assists for 36 points while playing all 82 regular season games.
Montembeault has struggled mightily this season, sporting a 5-6-1 record with a .857 save percentage and a 3.65 goals-against average in 13 starts. The Becancour, Quebec native was expected to be a strength for Montreal, coming off a 2024-25 season in which he started 60 games and had a 31-24-7 record with .901 SV% and a 2.82 GAA.
The Canadiens assigned Montembeault to the AHL for a conditioning stint on December 16th. In two appearances with Laval, he had an 0-2-0 record with a .904 SV% and a 2.53 GAA. It remains unclear when he will get his next chance to start with Montreal.
The Habs certainly hope the conditioning stint combined with the holiday break provide a revitalizing reset for Montembeault. With 3.27 goals allowed per game, Montreal ranks 23rd in the NHL.
The Canadiens will kick off a five-game, post-holiday road trip when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.