Jakub Dobes: Twice as Good Since Marco Marciano Joined the Team

The Canadiens managed just 19 shots on goal last night at the Bell Centre, while the Hurricanes racked up no fewer than 43.

Nine times out of ten, the team leading 43–19 in shots on goal will win the game. Yesterday was the one time out of ten when the opposite happened.

Without the brilliance of Jakub Dobes, who was named the game's first star, this feat would have been impossible. The Czech goaltender stopped 41 of the 42 shots he faced (.953), marking his fourth game allowing two goals or fewer in five starts.

Dobes has finished just one of his last six starts with a save percentage below .923.

Something seems to have changed with Jakub Dobes. Early in the season, he was racking up wins, but he was described as erratic, lucky, unorthodox—in the mold of Dominik Hasek—unreassuring in front of the net, inconsistent…

Last night, none of those adjectives could be used to describe Dobes's play. He was calm, confident, reassuring, and in complete control of his game. He looked big in net, and the pucks seemed to stick to him. How many long-range shots stayed on his chest pad in the third period, even as Dobes had just come out of his net and moved like Carey Price?

Pretty sure at least two of those pucks would have found the back of the net with Samuel Montembeault in front of the net…

What has changed with Dobes that he's gone from a questionable goalie who still manages to win to a reliable goalie who inspires his teammates?

Should we attribute this dramatic improvement to Pete Fry, Dobes' mental coach?

Is Dobes simply gaining experience?

Has being identified by the staff as the new #1 goalie allowed Dobes to stop doubting himself? #LessUncertainty

Statistically speaking, Dobes has been a much better goalie since January 28.

Between October 7 and January 28: 16-5-3, .890 (56th) and 2.96 (49th).
Since January 28: 7-3-1, .907 (20th) and 2.72 (30th).

Note that I included all goalies in Dobes' “rankings.”

In short, Dobes has been twice as good since January 28.

Warning! These stats are incorrect.

The actual figures are as follows:

Between October 7 and January 28: 16-5-3, .890 (56th) and 2.96 (49th).

Since January 28: 7-3-1, .907 (20th) and 2.72 (30th).

That said, the point remains the same: Dobes has been twice as good since… https://t.co/GHu7bxbEk0

— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) March 25, 2026

What happened on January 28, you might ask? Éric Raymond was fired and Marco Marciano was promoted. Raymond was known for his more “old school” approach, which clearly didn't align with Dobes's way of doing things or thinking.

Dobes had enjoyed success under Marciano in Laval, and he's currently doing the same in Montreal. A year and a month ago, Dobes was MUCH worse than Samuel Montembeault; we saw that in the playoffs. A year later, it's the exact opposite.

Dobes is making the big saves (which Montembeault made last year, but isn't making this year) and he's constantly giving his teammates a chance to win. How many comebacks has the Habs been able to pull off this season, because Dobes kept them in the game despite falling behind by a goal or two?

Where is Sam?
Samuel Montembeault started in goal on March 6 in Anaheim, then served as backup to Jakub Dobes on the 7th in Los Angeles, and again on the 10th at the Bell Centre. Since then, he hasn't been used as either a starting goalie or a backup.

That makes seven consecutive games that Montembeault has had to watch from the bench.

Will he get another start this season? If Dobes and Fowler can stay healthy, I (really) don't think so.

The question is more whether the Habs will decide to send Fowler or Dobes straight to Carolina on Saturday, just to give him a good night's sleep ahead of Sunday's game against the Hurricanes.

If so, Montembeault could be used as the backup on Saturday in Nashville. I don't see Monty playing a bigger role than that with the Habs; we're in a playoff race where every point counts…

And I don't see him staying in Montreal next season.

Montembeault is a great guy and a Quebec native who's well-liked by everyone in Quebec… but he's no longer one of the top two goalies in the organization, period.

In a nutshell

– Jakub Dobes wasn't the only rookie who helped the Habs yesterday.

The Calder race is locked up, Matthew Schaefer made that clear again last night. But the Canadiens have not one, but three rookies who played big parts in a big win against Carolina. In a different year, one team could have had three Calder finalists: https://t.co/LlBmUrKdSw

— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) March 25, 2026

– The chances of the Habs making the playoffs are high.

After last night's win, the Habs' playoff chances have increased to 91.3% pic.twitter.com/NxW8VftbFJ

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) March 25, 2026

– Must-read.

Certainties and mixed opinions. https://t.co/7xNeULWEXi

— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) March 25, 2026