St-Louis makes first decision ahead of Canadiens vs Blues as Bolduc and Texier return

Saturday in St. Louis, there will be no morning skate, and the starting goaltender remains unknown. The Canadiens face the Blues at the Enterprise Center in the afternoon.

Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and the atmosphere is already shaping up nicely. The team has in fact just released a game-day statement: no morning skate, meaning no "showcase" to guess the lineup.

We will provide updates on the starting goaltender and line combinations once announced, likely shortly before the game or during the pregame press conference.

In goal, three names are obviously circulating: Jacob Fowler, Jakub Dobes, and Samuel Montembeault.

Fowler, 21, already has 6 games this season with a goals-against average of 2.64 and a save percentage of .904. His contract carries an average salary of $923,333. Dobes, 24, has played 21 games and has a 3.01 goals-against average with a .889 save percentage. His average salary is $965,000, making him a situation that draws attention every time a start is announced.

Montembeault, 29, has 16 games under his belt with a 3.52 goals-against average and a .863 save percentage. He earns $3.15M per season, and every decision in goal has become interesting to predict and analyze these days.

Another intriguing detail is the return of Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Texier to St. Louis.

Bolduc, 22, has 10 goals and 17 points in 40 games with the Canadiens, with an average salary of $863,334. Texier, 26, has appeared in 18 games and recorded 9 points this season, and he is playing on a one-year contract worth $1M.

And in your opinion, who will be in goal for the Canadiens today?

Personally, I would take Jakub Dobes out of the equation, despite his strong win, so it would come down to Fowler or Montembeault.

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