The Montreal Canadiens are facing a familiar conundrum in net-and it’s starting to cost them. After a brief spark following Jacob Fowler’s call-up and Samuel Montembeault’s conditioning stint in the AHL, the goaltending situation is once again under the microscope. And after back-to-back divisional losses where Montembeault struggled to keep pucks out of the net, the pressure is building.
Following a tough loss to the Boston Bruins, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis was asked whether Montembeault appeared fragile.
His response was quick and pointed: “No, no, I don’t think so. Listen, the last goal, the puck’s direction changes… No, I don’t think so.”
St. Louis isn’t ready to question his goaltender’s mindset, but the numbers tell a story that’s hard to ignore.
Montembeault was given the crease in two critical divisional games, and in both, his save percentage dipped below .815. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team trying to stay competitive in a stacked Atlantic Division. On the season, Montembeault holds a 9-8-2 record with a 3.46 goals-against average and a .869 save percentage-numbers that simply don’t hold up in today’s NHL, especially for a team that doesn’t have the offensive firepower to outscore its problems.
Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes, while not exactly lighting up the stat sheet, has been finding ways to win. His 3.01 GAA and .887 save percentage aren’t eye-popping, but his 15-5-3 record is.
Whether it’s confidence, better puck luck, or just more offensive support, the Canadiens seem to play a different brand of hockey when Dobes is in net. And that’s not lost on anyone watching closely.
Kent Hughes, the Canadiens’ general manager, addressed the media recently for his mid-season review. He emphasized that he doesn’t like to put labels on players and that the goalie playing best would earn the crease.
But the usage pattern doesn’t exactly match the message. Dobes is unbeaten in regulation over his last six starts (5-0-1), while Montembeault has gone 1-2-1 in his last four.
That’s a stark contrast, and it raises the question: is the team truly riding the hot hand?
The Canadiens are heading into a pivotal stretch with games against the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Buffalo Sabres. It’s a tough slate, and they’ll need someone to step up between the pipes if they want to stay afloat. Right now, all signs point to Dobes deserving another look.
Montembeault has shown flashes of being a reliable NHL goaltender, but consistency has been elusive. Whether it’s a mental reset, a change in mechanics, or just a bit of luck, something has to change if he’s going to reclaim the net with authority. Until then, the Canadiens might need to lean on the guy who’s getting results-even if the stats don’t sparkle.
The bottom line: the Habs need saves, and they need them now.