4 Nations Faceoff: Montembeault’s Journey Sparks Inspiration

Montreal Canadiens starter Samuel Montembeault didn’t play at the 4 Nations Faceoff, and yet, it was difficult not to swell with pride while watching him celebrate the big win over Team USA with his Canadian teammates.

It was a great reminder that Montembeault’s story is one of adversity and resilience.

We tend to treat NHL players as hockey robots, quickly taking to social media any time their programming fails to provide the desired result. If a player does not reach their pre-determined potential, we dismiss them without a second thought, moving on to the next heir apparent.

But at the centre of every hockey story, good or bad, there’s a human connection at play.

At the core of every human connection, we will find a player who fell in love with the sport, just as many of us did at one point in our lives. It’s the driving force behind an endless number of ships launched with the hope of one day reaching the rocky shores of professional sports.

Those that do not make it inevitably fade into obscurity, but every once in a while, an unexpected captain at the helm of a surprisingly efficient vessel manages to cross the ocean, and it’s our duty to recognize the impressive story before it is forgotten.

It’s particularly important when discussing ‘Un p’tit gars de chez nous‘, the French term used to describe an athlete that hails from the area and defied the odds to ascend to the top level of hockey.

Samuel Montembeault is looking dapper. #4Nations pic.twitter.com/E0FcCvTFpE

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) February 21, 2025

Appreciating The Moment

Montembeault is not the first to write this story.

David Desharnais, one of the most heavily criticized players in recent Montreal Canadiens history, epitomized resilience. He was never drafted, despite earning 374 points in 262 games with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. He was listed at 5’7″, though I’d argue that measurement was done while he still had his skates on. He ended up in the ECHL, where many players decide to end their journey and turn to an industry that offers some semblance of job security.

He never gave up despite having the odds stacked against him.

The same can be said about Montembeault. His route was a little different, but there’s no doubt he reached the point where most athletes start to question whether playing professional sports is really the best path forward.

There are few scenarios more disheartening for a player than being told you will be at risk of being claimed, for free, by any other organization. And yet, for Montembeault, being placed on waivers by the Florida Panthers was one of the most fortuitous events of his career.

The Canadiens have claimed goaltender Samuel Montembeault off waivers.#GoHabsGo https://t.co/xuktM9bqCg

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 2, 2021

He went from a discarded athlete to an important player for the Montreal Canadiens, which he then levied into a gold medal at the World Championship with Team Canada, not to mention Thursday’s big win at the 4 Nations Faceoff over Team USA.

Say what you will about his statistics this season, or the upcoming goaltender prospects, but the fact of the matter is that Montembeault is living the hockey dream, the same dream many of us once aspired to achieve, reaching that level thanks to persistence and a sheer force of will.

That, my friends, is the foundation of an inspiring and heartwarming Montreal Canadiens story that’s certainly worthy of celebration.