Since the start of the Montreal Canadiens’ training camp, one name has been making people’s eyes widen more and more: Jakub Dobes. With impressive performances, he rekindles discussions on the future of Cayden Primeau, whose value on the transaction market is rapidly increasing.
So much so that several experts believe that a surprise could well emerge in front of the Habs net, involving Dobes.
The camp revealed an undeniable fact: the Montreal Canadiens have several high-quality goalkeepers in their organization.
Murmurs are beginning to circulate about the possibility of Jakub Dobes emerging as a revelation. What if he was, ultimately, as good as Jacob Fowler, while further along in his development?
At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Dobes has an impressive physique, and his stats speak for themselves.
In his rookie season in the NCAA, he posted a 21-12-2 record with a 2.26 goals-against average and a mind-blowing .934 save percentage. In comparison, at this age, Jacob Fowler had similar stats in the same league.
But where Dobes surprises even more is in his career in the AHL with the Laval Rocket. Last season, he played in 51 games, compiling a 24-18-6 record, a 2.93 GAA and a .906 save percentage.
He was the most used goaltender in the entire AHL, and in the second half of the season, his efficiency percentage exceeded 0.920, a solid performance that did not go unnoticed.
So, what if Jakub Dobes is simply better than Cayden Primeau? Primeau undoubtedly had some good moments with the Canadian, but he also showed signs of inconsistency.
It is not impossible that the management of the Canadian evaluates the possibility of giving Dobes a chance if an interesting offer for Primeau presents itself to Kent Hughes.
Furthermore, Connor Hughes, another promising goalkeeper, says he has the confidence to establish himself as the Rocket’s number one.
At 6-foot-4, 231 pounds, Hughes shined in Switzerland’s top league last year, with a .940 save percentage and 1.73 goals-against average per game.
His skills point to a solid future for the Rocket’s goals.
It would be unwise to underestimate the possibility of Jakub Dobes pulling off an upset this season. And if that’s the case, Cayden Primeau has a good chance of being traded.
