Al Montoya is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on February 13, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Glenview, a suburb of Chicago. Montoya began his hockey career playing for the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he played for two seasons from 2001 to 2003.
After his time with the USNTDP, Montoya played college hockey at the University of Michigan, where he played for three seasons from 2003 to 2005. During his time at Michigan, Montoya was named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Rookie of the Year in 2003 and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2005.
Montoya was drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round, sixth overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Rangers in 2008 and played for the team for two seasons before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2010. Montoya played for several other NHL teams throughout his career, including the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens.
Montoya's NHL career spanned over a decade, during which he played in 168 games and had a record of 67-49-24. He had a career save percentage of .908 and a goals-against average of 2.63. Montoya's best season came in 2014-15 when he played for the Panthers and had a record of 18-13-5 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.30 goals-against average.
In addition to his NHL career, Montoya also represented the United States in international competition. He played for the US at the 2004 and 2005 World Junior Championships, winning a silver medal in 2004. Montoya also played for the US at the 2006 World Championships and the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Montoya announced his retirement from professional hockey in November 2019. He has since become a broadcaster and analyst for the NHL Network and has also worked as a goaltending consultant for the University of Michigan hockey team.
Overall, Al Montoya had a successful hockey career, playing at the highest level of the sport for over a decade and representing his country in international competition. He was known for his athleticism and quick reflexes in the net and was a respected teammate and competitor throughout his career.
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