Al Montoya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Al Montoya
Montoya with the New York Islanders in 2011
Born	(1985-02-13) February 13, 1985 (age 40) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Phoenix Coyotes New York Islanders Winnipeg Jets Florida Panthers Montreal Canadiens Edmonton Oilers
National team	United States
NHL Draft	6th overall, 2004 New York Rangers
Playing career	2005–2019

Álvaro Silva Montoya, born on February 13, 1985, is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played for nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Montoya played for teams like the Arizona Coyotes, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, and Edmonton Oilers.

He was chosen early in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, as the sixth player overall, by the New York Rangers. Before joining the NHL, Montoya played college hockey for three years at the University of Michigan. He is also known as the first Cuban-American player in the NHL.

Montoya's Hockey Journey

Montoya playing for the Winnipeg Jets in 2013

Early Life and Youth Hockey

Álvaro Montoya was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a nearby town called Glenview. When he was a kid, he played in the 1999 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was part of the Chicago Young Americans minor ice hockey team. Later, he played for Loyola Academy and the Texas Tornado in the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

College Success and International Play

In 2001–02, Montoya joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. The next year, he started playing for the University of Michigan ice hockey team. He had a lot of success at Michigan. In his final season (2004–05), he won 30 games, lost 7, and tied 3.

Montoya also played for the United States at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships twice. In 2004, he helped the team win its first gold medal at the tournament in Finland. He was even named to the tournament's All-Star team. The 2005 tournament was held in the United States, but Montoya and the U.S. team did not win a medal.

Starting His NHL Career

After college, the New York Rangers signed Montoya to a contract in 2005. He started his professional career with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played most of his first three seasons there. Overall, he had a good record with the Wolf Pack, winning 66 games.

The Rangers already had a great goalie, Henrik Lundqvist. So, on February 26, 2008, Montoya was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes. He was traded along with Marcel Hossa.

Montoya signed again with the Coyotes in July 2008. He began the 2008–09 season with the San Antonio Rampage, the Coyotes' AHL team. On April 1, 2009, Montoya played his first NHL game for the Coyotes. He had a "shutout," meaning he didn't let the other team score any goals. The Coyotes won 3–0 against the Colorado Avalanche. He played five games for the Coyotes that season, winning three of them. That spring, Montoya was also chosen to play for the American team at the 2009 IIHF World Championship.

On February 9, 2011, Montoya was traded to the New York Islanders. This trade gave him a chance to play more often in the NHL. The Islanders' other goalies were injured. He played 21 games for the Islanders, winning 9 of them. He also had one shutout. The Islanders signed him to another contract. Montoya played 25 games for the Islanders during the 2011–12 season. He also played for the United States at the 2011 IIHF World Championship.

Moving to New Teams

On July 4, 2012, the Winnipeg Jets signed Montoya. He became the backup goalie to Ondřej Pavelec for the 2012–13 season.

Then, on July 1, 2014, Montoya signed with the Florida Panthers. He played for them for two years.

Later NHL Years

On July 1, 2016, Montoya signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. He was the backup goalie to their star player, Carey Price. In November 2016, Montoya played in a tough game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Canadiens lost 10–0, which was a very big loss for them. Even after this difficult game, Montoya stayed positive. He said that the experience made him stronger.

On January 2, 2017, Montoya signed a new two-year contract with the Canadiens. This contract was set to last until 2019.

On January 4, 2018, the Canadiens traded Montoya to the Edmonton Oilers.

After Playing Hockey

After his playing career, Álvaro Montoya started a new role. On September 9, 2021, he became the director of community outreach for the Dallas Stars. This means he helps the team connect with and support the local community.

Awards and Honours