Elliotte Friedman’s theory regarding Jakub Dobes

Elliotte Friedman’s theory regarding Jakub Dobes
Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

I don't think I need to paint another picture of the Canadiens' goalies.

Everyone knows that right now, the team plays with more confidence when Jacob Fowler is in net. You can see it, but you can feel it, too.

The fact that Cole Caufield publicly stood up to Jakub Dobes speaks volumes.

All this to say that the Canadiens need to find a way to restore Dobes's confidence moving forward. The team will need him during the loooooong 2026–2027 season—that's for sure.

How? We'll see. But it has to start with the player himself, who needs to get into a better mindset.

On that note, Elliotte Friedman (in his latest episode of the “32 Thoughts” podcast) said he has a theory about what's going on with Jakub Dobes.

He thinks the Canadiens' #75 is a bit rattled by the challenge of having to compete so quickly against Jacob Fowler.

We can all agree that things have changed quickly in Montreal. During training camp, it was clear that Samuel Montembeault had what it took to reclaim his starting spot in Montreal, which made Dobes the #1.

But the Quebec native's injury changed everything. Fowler arrived as backup… and since then, the American has been taking the city by storm.

 

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I get the feeling that Dobes, who's probably taken his #1 spot for granted since the end of the playoffs, is realizing things are changing fast. And above all, that it's happening faster than expected.

But in the NHL, you can never be satisfied with anything. You can't take anything for granted.

It's also worth noting that José Théodore (98.5 Sports) is right: ultimately, HuGo (who drafted Fowler, but not Dobes) sees Fowler as the next Carey Price.

And Dobes is like Jaroslav Halak: he's good, but he's not the chosen one.

The Canadiens love Jacob Fowler. And that certainly doesn't sit well with Jakub Dobes, who proved himself last year in the playoffs and signed a nice contract this summer.

The NHL is a league where you have to fight to keep your spot. It's up to Dobes (who has the talent to do so) to make it happen. Because yes, if he wins and plays well, he'll get the ice time to match.


In a nutshell

– Enjoy the show.

– What a horrible night for CF Montréal.

– The resemblance to his dad is uncanny.