When the Montreal Canadiens called up Jakub Dobeš from Laval back in December, few could have predicted the immediate impact he’d make. Replacing a struggling Cayden Primeau—whose confidence had all but vanished—Dobeš stepped into the spotlight and took the NHL by storm.
In his first four starts, all on the road, Dobeš stunned with a shutout against the defending Stanley Cup Champions Florida Panthers and followed it up with wins over Colorado, Washington, and Dallas. He posted an eye-popping 0.98 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage during that stretch—numbers that put the league on notice.
But as quickly as the hype built, it began to fade. Dobeš hit a rough patch in his next three starts and, seemingly overnight, lost the trust of his coaching staff. Some claimed “the book was out” on him—a tired narrative the coaching staff appeared to buy into. Since then, the 23-year-old has bounced between solid performances and tougher outings, like many young goalies trying to find consistency at the NHL level… similarly to what Sam Montembeault has gone through his entire career, this season included.
A Statement Game in Nashville
Sunday night in Nashville, however, was a reminder of what Dobeš is capable of. Under difficult circumstances—on the second half of a back-to-back, on the road, and with his team being completely outplayed—he stole two points for the Canadiens. Yes, he looked shaky early, often overplaying the shot (a flaw he’ll need to iron out), and his rebound control – a strength of his – wasn’t up to his usual standard. But his ability to battle and come through in the clutch shouldn’t be overlooked.
When we talk about a goalie stealing you a game, that’s what it looks like.2nd of a back-to-back, outplayed, out chanced, outshot 2-1… Dobeš got those two points. #GoHabsGo #Habs
— JD Lagrange (@jdlagrange.bsky.social) 2025-04-07T01:41:40.004Z
This is a goaltender who thrives on playing time, yet he’s caught in a cycle that undermines his confidence. When you’re only getting into a game every 7 to 15 days, and practices are few and far between due to a packed schedule, it’s nearly impossible to find rhythm—especially when the coaching staff seems hesitant to trust you. That hesitation shows, and it trickles down into the player’s game, fearing that one bad outing will result in days, even weeks without seeing any action.
The Development Dilemma
The best backup goaltenders are oftentimes veterans. They have seen it all, they understand and know their role at the NHL level, and while not easy, they succeed in that role. They have the experience to rely on in order to play in that role.
Dobeš is in a pivotal stage of his development. At 23, he needs minutes—not just to stay sharp, but to grow. Goalies, more than any position, rely heavily on rhythm, confidence, and live-game reps. Everywhere he’s played until now, Dobeš has been a starter, and his track record shows he thrives in that role. The same principle applies here: he can’t develop by sitting.
Some fans—and unfortunately, perhaps some in the organization—underestimate the importance of this. The 80-20 rule is especially true for goaltenders: 20% of success is raw physical skill; the remaining 80% is mental. Confidence. Resilience. Focus. And that’s exactly where Dobeš is being set up to fail.
No coach wants to damage a player’s development. But the best coaches are the ones who recognize when their approach isn’t working and have the courage to adjust. Right now, Martin St-Louis and his staff are repeating past mistakes with their goaltenders—mistakes that history has already warned us about. They did the same with Cayden Primeau last season and early on this season.
If the plan is to use a backup once every couple of weeks, then Connor Hughes would’ve made more sense, given his experience. But with Primeau, who has been stellar in Laval since sent down, and Fowler now forming a tandem in Laval, sending Dobeš down isn’t the answer either.
| W | L | OTL | GAA | Sv% | SO | |
| Montembeault | 29 | 23 | 6 | 2.85 | .900 | 4 |
| Dobeš | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2.87 | .904 | 1 |
Time for a Reset
The Canadiens must stop spinning their wheels when it comes to goalie development. Dobeš needs support, structure, and opportunity—not a bench and a cold seat. Otherwise, they risk squandering the potential of a netminder who’s already proven he can rise to the occasion. Hopefully they realize that before they start doing the same with Fowler.
Because at the end of the day, continuing to do the same thing while expecting different results? That’s the very definition of insanity.
