Jets Al Montoya playing for this season and next

Winnipeg Jets goalie Al Montoya will likely make his fifth straight appearance when the Jets host the Carolina Hurricanes at MTS Centre Saturday night.

The back-up is now the starter for the Jets as a result of the lower body injury to Ondrej Pavelec.

For 29-year-old Montoya, there is more on the line for the rest of this season then trying to help the Jets make the playoffs.

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Montoya is also playing for a contract.

He becomes an unrestricted free agent in July and his last four NHL contract, two with the Islanders and two with the Jets, have all been one year deals.

Montoya was the sixth overall pick of the New York Rangers in the 2004 Entry Draft. When he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes, he thought his career was winding down until another trade to the New York Islanders revived his career.

This season Montoya has appeared in 24 games for the Jets and sports a record of 12 – 6 and 3 with a 2.26 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.