The CH could lose the man who discovered Jakub Dobes

Jonathan Di Gregorio
The CH could lose the man who discovered Jakub Dobes
Credit: Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images

Sometimes, success can be a double-edged sword.

That could be the case for the Canadiens, who may lose a key member of their scouting staff as Vincent Riendeau, the team's goaltending scout since 2019, could soon be moving on to pastures new, as reported by Nicolas Cloutier in an article published today on TVA Sports.

He was notably responsible for selecting Jakub Dobes in 2020 while working with Trevor Timmins.

The two had discovered the goaltender in Omaha in the USHL and quickly recognized his talent, even though the young goaltender sometimes struggled to manage his emotions, especially when things weren't going well.

According to a former Habs scout, Riendeau always believed in his potential with the Habs, and it's fair to say he was right, as the goaltender is currently the number one netminder for one of the NHL's top teams and has been putting up strong performances.

The goaltending scout's arrival also came with a difficult mandate: to prepare for the post-Price era as the star player's career was drawing to a close. A few years later, Riendeau can declare mission accomplished, as the Habs are brimming with promising young prospects in net.

In addition to the young duo of Dobes and Jacob Fowler, whom we owe to Riendeau, the Habs currently have prospects Emmett Croteau, Yevgeni Volokhin, Quentin Miller, Alexis Cournoyer, and Arseny Radkov on their roster.

Several of them have had strong seasons in their respective leagues, and there could soon be a logjam for goaltending spots within the organization, whether in Montreal or Laval.

In fact, the goaltending scout's work hasn't gone unnoticed, as several other teams are taking note of his success in Montreal.

Riendeau was reportedly approached last year by a German team for the position of general manager, and recently, he has reportedly had serious discussions with the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL, who made him an offer he is currently considering.

One might wonder if the Habs shouldn't instead ensure they retain Riendeau's services in Montreal for the long term, but only time will tell.


In a nutshell

– The pressure doesn't seem to be getting to him.

– The Rocket narrows the gap.

– The Islanders score late in the second.

– Great give-and-go!

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