Analyst raises questions about Montembeault’s role as Canadiens ride Dobes before Olympic break
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Martin St-Louis’ decision to give the net to Jakub Dobes for a second straight game could have an impact on the schedule.
With only four games left to play before the break for the Olympic Games, goalie management has become a hot topic.
Jakub Dobes has been confirmed as the starting goaltender for tonight’s matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.
This situation sparked discussion on BPM Sports, where the possibility was raised that the head coach may ride the goalie delivering the best immediate results to close out this stretch.
Samuel Montembeault may have already played his last game before the Olympic Games, and it’s a real possibility
If Dobes finds success tonight and in the following games, it’s not out of the question that he could get all the remaining starts.
"It depends on the actual performance. Could he start every game between now and the Olympic break? Absolutely. He’s a goaltender who has shown us that, in certain stretches, he’s capable of being extremely solid. Remember when he arrived in the NHL last year — who did he beat? The big teams. We couldn’t believe it when we beat the Avalanche. Now we’re hearing people say, 'Tomorrow it’s guaranteed, zero points, it’s going to be a blowout.' Hold on a second. A good goaltender can steal you a game. There are four games left"
- BPM Sports
- BPM Sports
In that specific scenario, Samuel Montembeault might not see game action again before the regular schedule resumes at the end of February.
That would be a long stretch of inactivity for the veteran, driven more by his teammate’s performance and the structure of the calendar.
That would send quite a message!
Dobes’ performance against the Avalanche will therefore be a key factor going forward.
Martin St-Louis will have to decide between rotating his goalies or applying the “hot hand” approach for the final three games before the break.
If Jakub Dobes wins tonight and follows it up with another strong game against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, we could be witnessing a true changing of the guard in the Montreal Canadiens’ crease.
I’m really curious to see how the young Dobes performs tonight, because a big game could genuinely flip the roles.
Also read on Montreal Hockey Fanatics :
Canadiens goaltender seriously considering a move to Europe, according to reports
Canadiens goaltender seriously considering a move to Europe, according to reports
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
| POLL | ||
7 HOURS AGO|213 ANSWERS Analyst raises questions about Montembeault’s role as Canadiens ride Dobes before Olympic break Should the Montreal Canadiens give Samuel Montembeault at least one start before the break? | ||