The Canadiens are turning to Jakub Dobes in Dallas on Thursday, a choice the team announced on social media Wednesday.
That means Jacob Fowler, fresh off a 46-save shutout, will get the night off despite the fact that he’s played in four of the last five games. The workload offers a straightforward explanation for the decision, but it still looks like a risky one given the way Fowler has been performing.
This isn’t a case of a goalie needing a reset. Fowler has won six straight since dropping his season debut on Oct. 8, and while not every outing has been tidy, he’s clearly settling into a groove.
Over his last three appearances, he’s put up a .980 save percentage. He’s also posted back-to-back games with at least 33 saves and already has two shutouts in seven games.
Dobes, on the other hand, has had the tougher run. Since winning his first start, the Canadiens haven’t won any of his games in net.
In those losses, he’s carried an .828 save percentage. He’s had more outings with a save percentage under .800 than games where he’s been at .900 or better, and that’s happened only once.
Against a team like Dallas, the move feels like one that gives the Canadiens a chance to hand over a game before it even starts.
The travel day is what makes the call stand out. If this were a back-to-back, the logic would be easy to follow. Instead, the Canadiens have the benefit of a day to reset, and that makes riding the hot hand look like the cleaner option.
That’s the bigger issue here: Fowler doesn’t look like a goalie who needs a breather right now. He looks like one whose rhythm is worth protecting. Dobes has plenty of talent, but the timing of the switch invites questions, especially if the result goes against Montreal.
Nobody is rooting for Dobes to fail. But when one goalie is winning and the other isn’t, the safest play is usually the simplest one.
If the Canadiens come up short Thursday, the obvious question will be why Fowler wasn’t in net. And it’s hard to imagine a satisfying answer.
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Got Pulled Into A Dylan Larkin Roster Watch
The Canadiens have found themselves attached to one of the more intriguing names on the trade market, with Montreal reportedly putting young talent into the conversation around Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings center remains a significant target, and the way the Canadiens are positioning their assets suggests they are at least serious about seeing where this can go. For a club still sorting out its long-term picture, the chance to land a player of Larkins caliber naturally changes the temperature around any discussion.
There is still a major hurdle in the process, though, and it could end up being the one that matters most. Larkin has not yet given Montreal the green light as a destination, even as talks continue and his suspension from Detroit adds another layer to the situation. Sources say the Canadiens could be prepared to build an offer around prospects and draft picks, but for now the real question is whether the sides can get past the approval stage and into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Be Getting Boxed Out Of Dylan Larkin Sweepstakes
The Canadiens have been circling the center market for a while, and Dylan Larkin has naturally become one of the more intriguing names to watch. Detroit has suspended him without pay after he refused to play, and the Red Wings are still working through trade discussions with multiple teams, with Montreal believed to be among the clubs at least in the mix. For a Canadiens front office looking to add help down the middle, it is the kind of situation worth monitoring closely.
Still, the path to Montreal does not look especially clean. Larkin has not expanded his preferred destination list, and the Canadiens are not on it, which leaves Montreal waiting on a player who may never view them as a landing spot. With the market for centers already thin and alternatives such as Ryan O'Reilly and Mark Scheifele also in the conversation, the Canadiens may have to decide whether to keep pressing on Larkin or pivot before the rest of the league leaves them behind. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Are Turning This Surprise Surge Into Something Much Bigger
The Canadiens have quietly turned a strong little run into something far more meaningful, winning five of their last six and climbing to second in the Atlantic Division. What makes the stretch stand out is how they have managed it without some important pieces, while also working through earlier power-play issues that could have slowed them down. Instead, Montreal has found ways to keep stacking points, nudging its goal differential to plus-5 and looking more stable by the night.
Jacob Fowler has given the club a lift in goal, and the blue line has done plenty of heavy lifting too, with Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson and Alexandre Carrier all helping steady things. Up front, Cole Caufield has been part of the push as the Canadiens keep finding contributions in different places, which is exactly the kind of depth a team needs when the lineup is not at full strength. The bigger question now is how long this surge can keep rolling, and whether Montreal can keep turning a surprising burst into something that lasts. [Read more 🡒]