The Canadiens came out of another high-scoring night on the wrong side of the score sheet, dropping a 6-4 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes, and Jakub Dobes was again left to wear plenty of the blame. But with only three starts on his ledger, it’s still too early to treat his rough opening as a full-blown crisis.
Dobes has allowed 13 goals on 91 shots so far, which leaves him with a .857 save percentage. That’s an ugly number, especially after he helped calm the waters in Montreal’s opening-night win over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Still, the urge to hit the panic button now feels premature.
Not every goal against him has been clean. Some of the damage has come with traffic, breakdowns, and chaos in front of the crease.
On Tuesday, that was on display early. Montreal struggled to get the puck out of its zone multiple times in the first period before Taylor Hall had enough time to collect it, spin, and bury it.
Later in the period, the Canadiens’ lead disappeared after a scramble in front left the net jammed with bodies. Jake Evans even tripped over Dobes as the puck and the goaltender slid across the goal line, and the game was tied 2-2.
There’s no denying that Dobes has let in a few goals he’d want back. But the full picture is messier than the stat line alone suggests.
And the bigger point is simple: it’s still early. Three games is not enough to make a final judgment on what Dobes is or isn’t.
If these losses end up mattering down the road, they’ll be easy enough to revisit then. For now, though, there’s not enough here to sound the alarm.
Good goalies go through bad stretches. Dobes is clearly capable of more. If he’s the future, that’s a separate conversation for another day, and it depends on what that future looks like relative to Jacob Fowler.
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A fresh round of trade chatter has put Montreal back in the mix for a name that would instantly change the conversation around the Canadiens. Dylan Larkin is being discussed as a potential fit, and the appeal is obvious for a team still looking to keep building around Nick Suzuki while adding more speed and edge down the middle. Nothing is close, but the fact Montreal is even being mentioned speaks to where the club stands in the market right now.
The larger picture is familiar for Canadiens fans: the team is trying to stay aggressive without forcing a move that does not match its timeline. Larkin is only one piece of a busy league landscape, with other notable situations still unresolved around the NHL, but Montreal remains the one that matters most here because of the fit and the cost. For now, it is the kind of rumor that keeps a fan base engaged, even if the real answer is still waiting somewhere farther down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Have Every Reason To Question This Connor Zary Decision
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Zarys recent production also invites the kind of comparison Montreal fans have been making all season, especially when looking at Kirby Dachs uneven stretch. Even with injuries thinning the roster and adding pressure on the depth chart, the Canadiens still let the chance go by, which makes the choice feel even more curious in the moment. Whether that turns out to be prudence or a miss is the part that will keep hanging over it. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Make A Desperate Lineup Shakeup After Back-To-Back Losses
After back-to-back losses and some obvious defensive strain, the Canadiens are making another round of adjustments for their game against Nashville. Adam Engstrom is stepping into the lineup, and Jacob Fowler is also dressed, giving Montreal a different look as it tries to steady things and stop the slide.
Jakub Dobes will back up Fowler in goal while Samuel Montembeault remains day-to-day, leaving the Canadiens to juggle a situation they would much rather have settled. Jayden Struble was scratched to create room for Engstrom, a sign that the club is still searching for answers as it looks to clean up its own end. [Read more 🡒]