The Canadiens have locked up Jakub Dobes, and they did it with a deal that says plenty about where Montreal thinks its crease is headed. The team announced a three-year extension worth $16.07MM, carrying a $5.357MM average annual value.
Dobes was never billed as a can’t-miss goaltending prospect when Montreal took him 136th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, but his path has changed fast. After two strong seasons at The Ohio State University, he forced his way into the conversation. In 75 games with the Buckeyes, he posted a 42-28-5 record with a .926 SV% and a 2.29 GAA.
That momentum carried him into the pro ranks before the 2023-24 season, when Montreal sent him to the AHL’s Laval Rocket for a full year. He handled the workload in his rookie season and finished with a 24-18-6 record in 51 games, along with a .906 SV% and 2.93 GAA.
Dobes opened 2024-25 with another solid run in Laval, and that eventually earned him his NHL chance. He closed the season with a .909 SV%, but his first stretch in Montreal was eye-catching.
He won his first five NHL starts and turned in a .941 SV% during that run. The Canadiens didn’t exactly hand him soft landings, either - those wins came against the Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, and Dallas Stars.
With Sam Montembeault struggling, Dobes seized the starter’s job and never really let go. The Ostrava, Czechia native finished with a 29-10-4 record in 43 games, plus a .901 SV% and 2.78 GAA. He helped push Montreal into the postseason, earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team, and came close to Calder Trophy finalist status, finishing fourth in the voting.
The extension also clears up Montreal’s long-term picture in net. Dobes is now the only goaltender in the organization signed beyond the 2027-28 campaign.
Jacob Fowler, the top prospect mentioned earlier, will need a new deal once his entry-level contract ends. Even so, the Canadiens’ commitment to Dobes suggests Montembeault may not be in Montreal for much longer.
In Other News...
Canadiens New Defense Prospect Is Already Raising Eyebrows Inside The Organization
Timofei Runtso arrived in Montreal with the kind of profile that can make a draft room lean in a little closer. Taken 57th overall by the Canadiens, the defense prospect has already started settling into the organizations Russian pipeline, a useful early step for any young player trying to find his footing in a new market. He also comes with a clear sense of identity on the ice, with a style he wants to model after one of the more recognizable names to wear that position in recent years.
For Montreal, that matters because Runtso is not just another late-round flyer hoping to blend in and wait his turn. He has a background in the NAHL and has already shown he can adapt to a different level and a different environment, which is part of what makes him intriguing inside the organization. The next question is how quickly that comfort off the ice turns into traction on it, especially as he begins building relationships with teammates and carving out his place in a crowded development picture. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Anderson Honors Brendan Gallagher As Canadiens Lose A True Heartbeat
Brendan Gallaghers exit has left more than a roster spot behind in Montreal. Josh Anderson, whose own game has long been built on the same kind of straight-ahead competitiveness, made clear how much Gallagher meant to the Canadiens and to the city, praising the edge and persistence that defined his teammates time here. For a team that has leaned on veteran voices as much as on production, the loss of a player like Gallagher is felt in the room as much as on the ice.
Andersons comments also land at a moment when Montreal is sorting out its next layer of leadership. With Gallagher gone, the Canadiens may need to look within for another alternate captain alongside Nick Suzuki, and Anderson is at least part of that conversation by reputation and presence. He is one of the players who can speak to what Gallagher brought every night, which is why his tribute carried extra weight for a locker room trying to absorb a familiar heartbeat being taken away. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Linked To A Veteran Winger Fans Will Instantly Debate
A veteran winger is already popping up in early offseason chatter around Montreal, and the appeal is easy to understand. Marc-Olivier Beaudoin floated the idea of a low-risk addition for the 2026 summer, pointing to a player with size, proven scoring touch and enough experience to help stabilize a young forward group without forcing the Canadiens into a long commitment.
The discussion gets more interesting because of the potential fit with Ivan Demidov, a pairing that would give Montreal a mix of youth and polish on the wing. Beaudoin framed it as the kind of short-term move that could make sense if the price stays reasonable, but for now it remains nothing more than speculation, the sort of idea that will draw plenty of debate long before the Canadiens have to make any real decision. [Read more 🡒]