Jacob Fowler is leaving tonight: the CH sends a message to Jakub Dobes

Tonight, the Canadiens will host the Detroit Red Wings (and Dylan Larkin) at the Bell Centre. It will be the first Saturday night game in Montreal this season.

And we know that these matchups, as Martin St-Louis often likes to point out, are special.

After seeing Jakub Dobes get the night off on Thursday, we might have expected him to be back in net tonight. That's just how it would make sense, you know.

But now we're learning that Jacob Fowler will ultimately get the start.

And when you look at it objectively, you realize that this sends a good message to Dobes.

Jacob Fowler vs. @DetroitRedWings @CanadiensMTL @TVASports

— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) October 10, 2026

We know Dobes hasn't had a great start to the season—his last two starts have been rough after his strong performance in Toronto in the season opener. And since Fowler did pretty well on Thursday night, they're clearly putting more trust in him tonight.

And as the coach, as mentioned earlier, often emphasizes the importance of Saturday night games in Montreal, it's surprising to see that Fowler is being trusted over Dobes.

And that decision actually brings us back to what Dobes said after his team's first game, when he mentioned wanting to prove his critics wrong.

Maybe, in the end, there were good reasons to have doubts during training camp, you know: he did, after all, allow 13 goals in three games (with a save percentage of .856) and finds himself on the bench for a second straight game…

Kaiden Guhle is back.

Jacob Fowler in net on a Saturday night at the Bell Centre. So Dobes definitely talked too much after his first game against the Leafs (while trying to dismiss the criticism directed at him).

Renaud Lavoie notes that Florian Xhekaj missed his second optional practice in as many days.

The Canadiens' season is well and truly underway (and it's already full of drama).

— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) October 10, 2026

Overtime

We can also spare a thought for Samuel Montembeault, who might have had that opportunity after coming back from such a long absence. But a strange injury during practice means the Quebec native is instead spending his time in the infirmary.

It's truly a shame for him.