Hockey

Jakub Dobes in place of Montembeault against the Sabres: the plan has (already) changed
Maxime Truman
Jakub Dobes in place of Montembeault against the Sabres: the plan has (already) changed
Credit: Getty Images

Halak or Price? It's been a long time coming…There hasn't been a goaltending controversy in Montreal for 15 years. “Except thatOctober 20, 2025 could be the date when a new goaltending controversy makes its debut in the city. The Canadiens may be in fourth place in their association – tied with the Penguins and Capitals – but the question on every Habs fan's lips this morning is: should Martin St-Louis give Jakub Dobes a real chance to challenge Samuel Montembeault for the #1 spot? Montembeault has just had two tough games, allowing four goals in each: the Kraken, then the Rangers. Since the start of the campaign, the Québécois goaltender has finished just one of the four games he's played with a save percentage over .900.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Montembeault also struggled during the preparatory schedule, finishing his three preseason games (all played at the Bell Centre) with a goals-against-average of 3.75 and a save percentage of .877.Against the Maple Leafs, he let in no fewer than five pucks on 17 shots. This morning, statistically speaking, Montembeault is one of the worst goaltenders in the NHL, and Jakub Dobes one of the best. Only Igor Shesterkin and Eric Comrie have a better save percentage than Jakub Dobes in 2025-26.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Dobes allowed one goal to the Red Wings (in Detroit), then two to the Predators (in Montreal). He has two wins in two outings, and need I remind you that he was one of the only perfect goaltenders in the entire NHL during the preparatory schedule ? content-ads]We changed the planLast week, when we learned that Jakub Dobes was going to face the Kraken – even though there was no game the day before or the day after – many repeated that there was no controversy as to the identity of the #1 goaltender: it was Samuel Montembeault.

OK, so maybe the plan was to give Montembeault four of the first six games of the season, then Dobes two of the first six. Except that today, when we learn that it's (most likely) Dobes who will defend the Habs' cage tonight, we have to come to one conclusion: the initial plan has been modified.

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The basic plan would never have been to give Monday's game to Dobes, knowing that there will be a two-in-two in the West on Wednesday and Thursday. It's clear that Dobes and Montembeault will each play one of those two games,and you don't usually give two games out of three to your number two…

No, we can't say that Jakub Dobes has become the Habs' undisputed #1 goaltender after only two weeks of activity, but we can conclude that this year, coaches ‘ and managers' patience will be shorter. Although some already see Jakub Dobes as #1…

For the first time since the arrival of Gorton, Hughes and St-Louis, the goal is clearly to win and make the playoffs, not to develop for the future.

Some would say chill out, but the NHL is not a chilling league. Dobes is currently playing better than Montembeault; let's send him in front of the net more often. That's it.Even Montembeault knows he has to be better, having taken the blame after Saturday's game. Next question: when will we realize that Ivan Demidov plays better than guys on the first power play or top six? One thing at a time..

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