Montreal Canadiens’ Goaltending Expenditure
The Montreal Canadiens currently hold the title for the highest goaltending expenditure in the National Hockey League (NHL), with a salary investment totaling $14.8 million. This figure comprises the earnings of their three primary goaltenders who are not exempt from waivers: Carey Price, Samuel Montembeault, and Kaapo Kahkonen, alongside Jakub Dobes. This allocation represents a notable 15.5% of the team’s salary cap.
Other Teams’ Goaltending Costs
Following closely behind, the New York Rangers rank second in goaltending costs, with their pair of netminders, Ivor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, commanding a combined salary of $13 million, which translates to 13.7% of their cap space. The Anaheim Ducks secure the third position, spending $12.9 million on their goaltending trio consisting of Lukas Dostal (who recently signed a lucrative five-year contract with a $6.5 million annual cap hit), Petr Mrazek, and Ville Husso, amounting to 13.6% of their cap.
In fourth place, the New York Islanders allocate $12 million to Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov, and David Rittich, which constitutes approximately 12.6% of their cap. The Boston Bruins complete the top five, dedicating $11.2 million to netminders Jaremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo, representing 11.8% of their salary cap.
Strategic Changes and Future Outlook
Interestingly, among these leading teams, only the Canadiens and one other team have goaltenders who might be classified for Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), with Price’s situation being particularly notable as he is currently unable to return to play. Should the Canadiens choose to place Price on LTIR or potentially trade him, their goaltending expenses would dramatically decrease to a mere $4.3 million. This adjustment could reposition them as one of the thriftiest teams in that department.
This shift in financial prioritization reflects a broader strategic change initiated under the leadership of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, following Price’s career-altering injuries. Hughes has previously mentioned his vision for the team as one that emphasizes a rapid, attacking style, rather than a defensive mindset. The roster changes made to align with this philosophy—including the recent acquisitions of Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, and the offseason addition of Noah Dobson—suggest that the Canadiens are set on a path that values offensive dynamism over traditional defensive structures.
As a result, Canadiens fans may find themselves celebrating a new era of hockey that embraces action and speed, moving on from the days dominated by Price’s remarkable saves.
