Canadiens Goalie Jakub Dobes Leaves Practice After Taking Shot to the Arm
A tense moment unfolded in Brossard earlier today as Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes was forced to leave practice after taking a shot to the arm from forward Oliver Kapanen. The puck appeared to sneak past his protective padding, catching him in a vulnerable spot-and based on his reaction, it hurt.
Dobes immediately pulled out of the drill, visibly in pain, and left the ice. While early signs suggest the injury may not be serious, it came at the very end of practice, making it tough to gauge just how much discomfort he was in or whether it could impact his availability moving forward.
The 24-year-old netminder has been carving out a solid season so far. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Dobes brings size and presence to the crease, and his numbers reflect a goalie still finding his rhythm but showing promise.
He’s posted an 8-3-2 record with a 3.22 goals-against average and an .888 save percentage this season. Over his career, he’s 15-7-5 with a 2.96 GAA and a .899 save percentage-respectable numbers for a fifth-round pick still developing at the pro level.
With the Canadiens already managing a few bumps and bruises, this is another situation to monitor. Defenseman Jayden Struble missed today’s session with an upper-body injury and remains day-to-day, adding to the list of players the Habs are keeping a close eye on.
As for the immediate goaltending plan, Montreal has confirmed that Samuel Montembeault will get the start tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators. That sets the stage for Dobes to potentially get the nod in the second half of the back-to-back on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets-assuming today’s scare doesn’t change that plan.
We’ll keep an eye out for updates on Dobes’ status as the Canadiens prepare for a crucial stretch of games.