While the Habs have two #2 goalies, the Rocket have two #1 goalies

Dose
Crédit: LAVAL, QC - MAY 06: Laval Rocket goalie Jacob Fowler (1) during game four of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs between the Cleveland Monsters and Laval Rocket at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Canadiens are currently weathering their first storm of the season; Monday night’s loss in Columbus was their sixth in seven games.

Since the start of November, the Montrealers have won just two games out of a possible eight. And the Habs have suffered two thaws in front of their fans at the Bell Centre..

Martin St-Louis finds himself this morning with two goalkeepers whose performances are more akin to those of #2 goalkeepers (or #3, even). Unfortunately, neither Jakub Dobes nor Samuel Montembeault is currently capable of defending the Montreal cage with the aplomb of a true NHL #1 goaltender. And this is reflected in the team’s collective performance.

Jakub Dobes was excellent at the start of the campaign, but Martin St-Louis insisted on taking the net away from him and constantly giving it back to Montembeault, in an attempt to revitalize the Québécois (and follow through on the plan he had put in place before the start of the season). St-Louis even went so far as to say – on November 5 – that he thought Samuel Montembeault was the goaltender capable of taking on the bulk of the Canadiens’ workload.

Since then, Jakub Dobes has been a shadow of his former self, allowing 12 goals in three games (three losses). Reminder: he hadn’t lost a single game prior to this public outing by St-Louis..

Except now, the Habs coach admits it: Montembeault and Dobes are starting to compete. All he does now is promote Montembeault’s abilities.

Yes, there is competition between the two, but it exists first and foremost because Xhekaj Dobes has lost his mojo. When you dominate so much for a month, and your coach is constantly praising your competitor, who’s getting the better of you, it can play on your mind..

Until you break down in front of the media after your first defeat! #Remember

Tonight, Montembeault will be in net against the Capitals (at the Bell Centre). Will the Capitals players try to upset the emotional Jakub Dobes on the bench? Dobes and several Capitals players don’t seem to like each other since the last series between the two clubs. Remember the scrum Dobes started in Game #3 last spring, when he was on the bench?

Tonight, I agree: we should have sent Samuel Montembeault in front of the net… but there are several starts I would have given to Dobes rather than Montembeault in October.

Reverse scenario in Laval
While in Montreal, Martin St-Louis and Éric Raymond have to deal with two goaltenders who are struggling to string together good performances – Dobes had a .813 save percentage and a 4.34 goals-against average in November – Pascal Vincent and Marco Marciano have a completely different picture in Laval: Jacob Fowler and Kaapo Kahkonen both have the makings of starting goaltenders in the AHL.

Jacob Fowler is one of the best goaltenders on the circuit so far this season: 6-4-0, 2.11 and .921. He has also recorded three shutouts.

Kaapo Kahkonen’s stats are almost as good for an AHL guy: 4-2-0, 2.35 and .919.

What are the stats of the Canadiens’ goalies so far this season?

(Credit: NHL.com)

What’s more, neither Dobes nor Montembeault has managed to record a shutout so far in 2025-26.

I don’t want to rush things, but if the Habs’ two goalies don’t settle down soon, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton will have to seriously consider recalling Jacob Fowler to Montreal. You can’t keep rolling with two goalies who have allowed 19 goals in their last four outings, when the objective this season is clear: to be in the mix for the playoffs.

How patient will Montreal management be with their goalkeepers?

overtime

– Some Canadiens clubs need to give more.

– The Maple Leafs aren’t thinking of changing coaches.

– The Dodgers want to win.