CANADIENS' GOALTENDING DEPTH ENTERING MAKE-OR-BREAK SEASON
The Montreal Canadiens have been able to bolster their goaltending depth over the last two seasons, but the upcoming season will put that depth to the test.
Gone are the days when the anointed, unquestioned franchise goaltender came in to training camp ready to carry the Canadiens to the playoffs.
With Carey Price’s unofficial retirement, a new wave of goaltenders has been brought in to help, and all remain relatively unproven in their given roles this season.
That lack of certainty is one of the main reasons odds are pegging the Montreal Canadiens for another bottom-10 finish this seasons, but odds aren’t always accurate predictions of the future.
Another top prospect like Ivan Demidov wouldn’t hurt the Canadiens rebuild, but with general manager Kent Hughes looking to se ehis club take a step forward, the Canadiens’ goaltenders will need to step up.
There isn’t one goaltender in the Canadiens’ depth chart that doesn’t have something to prove this year, and, should they succeed, it may position the Habs in a very strong way in the immediate and long-term.
Let’s take a look at the biggest questions surrounding the Canadiens’ goaltending depth chart is facing this season:
Samuel Montembeault: The Montreal Canadiens’ True No.1?
After the Montreal Canadiens traded Jake Allen to the New Jersey Devils in March, Samuel Montembeault became the unquestioned No.1 goaltender of the club.
And, based on Montembeault’s performances over the last two seasons, he’s more than earned that right.
But, there is something to be said about the fact that the 27-year-old has not played more than 41 games in a given NHL season before.
The true mark of a No.1 goaltender, often playing between 48 and 60 games a season in the NHL, while remaining consistent and elevating their club.
Montembeault has looked great, sometimes even elite if you base yourself on his expected goals saved above expected (GSAx), but it’s a whole new beast to keep those numbers up for the entirety of a gruelling season.
If Montembeault could play with more frequency without sacrificing the quality of his play, the Canadiens will be set in goal for the foreseeable future.
Cayden Primeau: A True NHL Backup
The Montreal Canadiens faithful have been waiting for Cayden Primeau to blossom since he made the jump to professional hockey five years ago.
Due to the Covid seasons, the dreadful Taxi Squads and some roster yo-yoing due to multiple injuries to goaltenders in the organization through the years, Primeau was never able to find his mojo.
That is, until this past season, where Primeau’s waiver eligibility forced the Canadiens to keep him on the roster until they could work out a trade.
Primeau wasn’t necessarily able to get much playing time in the first few months of the season, being the third wheel in a three-goaltender carousel with Montembeault and Allen.
But the 25-year-old was able to make the best of his starts, posting a 0.910 save percentage in 23 games of action, the best in that category between the three goaltenders.
And it’s not like Primeau was given many light games either; often being fed to the lions of the NHL like the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and more.
Now, as the unquestioned No.2 in the organization, Primeau has to quickly establish himself as a legitimate NHL backup, and, in the best case for him, a viable 1B goaltender in the event of injury or dip in performance from Montembeault.
With young goaltenders like Jakub Dobeš and Jacob Fowler right behind him in the depth chart, a strong season will go a long way in not only establishing himself permanently in the NHL, but also with the Canadiens organization.
Jakub Dobeš: A Tale of Two Seasons
For the young Jakub Dobeš, the 2023-2024 season was a tale of two.
His first 30 games in the AHL with the Laval Rocket were extremely inconsistent, with the 23-year-old regularly seen chasing the play or losing his concentration in tight.
However, once a legitimate veteran backup in Kasimir Kaskisuo was brought in, the former 5th-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft flourished into one of the most impressive goaltenders in the AHL.
What was even more impressive is that Dobeš saved his best performances for when the games mattered most, and this despite leading the entire AHL in games played (51) as a rookie.
With a full year of experience under his belt, it will be up to Dobeš to prove he can replicate those numbers over a full season and help push the Laval Rocket to a playoff berth in the spring of 2025.
Because, as of 2025, he may have some company in the Laval Rocket crease.
Jacob Fowler: The Montreal Canadiens’ Next Big Thing
Jacob Fowler was one of the most impressive goaltending prospects in hockey last season with the Boston College Eagles, breaking the NCAA record for the most win by a freshman goaltender in the NCAA.
Finishing the season with a 32-6-1 record is no joke, regardless of the strength of the team that played ahead of him. But, with top players like San Jose’s Will Smith and Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier deciding to turn pro, Fowler will have to surpass himself to get Boston College back to the Frozen Four again this year.
Pegged by many pundits as a top-5 goalie prospect in the NHL, another strong season in the NCAA will not only help Fowler diminish any doubt in his potential stardom, but could also spell the end of his NCAA career.
Fowler hasn’t been shy about his desire to play for the Montreal Canadiens organization and turning pro whenever he and the club deem him ready, and another stellar season would go a long way in confirming that timeline.
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2024-09-02T18:08:12Z dg43tfdfdgfd