Jakub Dobes

March 2026 – As Montembeault floundered during the 2025-26 season, Dobes took the reins as the starter in Montreal and provided consistency for a majority of the season. Dobes has been a major part of the Canadiens success this season and while Jacob Fowler is being groomed for the eventual starting role in Montreal, Dobes will be a critical part of Montreal’s success during the playoffs in a few weeks as well as next season with Montreal poised to become a powerhouse in the NHL. Ioan Gheordanescu

October 2025 – Starters workload in the NCAA, check. Starts workload in the AHL, check. NHL playoff experience, check. Strong NHL preseason and first start of the NHL season, check. Dobes simply adapts to whatever level he plays at, fixing technical issues progressively and working hard to get better after each game. While he had an emphatic debut in the NHL in 2024-25, he looked lucky on quite a few occasions and was caught flailing around in his net and not making use of his height. During the 2025-26 preseason, he looked like a different goaltender. Steady, standing tall, and consistent. Do not be surprised if he takes starts from Montembeault during the season and pushes towards a split workload by the end of the season as Montembeault has not had a great start, sporting a .870 SV% through his first three starts. Ioan Gheordanescu

July 2025 – Dobes has turned into a very promising goaltender with an NHL future after getting into some NHL games and posting the best numbers on the team, leapfrogging Cayden Primeau in the process. While Jacob Fowler comes up behind him, Dobes is at an ideal age for sticking in the NHL and is showing that he is ready. In 16 games, he had eight Quality Starts and a GSAA of 3.90 (higher is better). The 6-4 netminder has progressed steadily since turning pro in 2023, showing that he can flourish at each level he plays. He played 51 games in his rookie year with Laval, so he is more than capable of handling a starter’s workload in the future. He has the inside track to be Montreal’s backup in the fall after signing a two-year, one-way contract through the 2026-27 season that will pay him an average of $965,000 per season. – Dobber

September 2023 – Dobes seems to have become the goalie prospect of favor for the Canadiens, at least as long as Jacob Fowler is in college. Starting his first full-time pro-season in a few weeks, he may be the starting man for the Laval Rocket. Cayden Primeau hasn’t impressed, and Dobes has excelled at every level. His mix of pure size and tantalizing athleticism put him right into the mould of the modern goalie. Coming off a two-year stint of being one of the best goalies in the NCAA and carrying Ohio State on his back, it feels as if there is no stopping Jakub Dobes. Aaron Itovitch

January 2021 – Dobes has had a great start in his first 20 USHL games for the Omaha Lancers ,where he leads the league in: games played, wins, goals against average, and save percentage. His save percentage is up 30 points at .924, and his goals against average is down over a goal at 1.92. The growth in his game comes from his ability to use his size and athleticism more effectively. He looks big in the net when facing a shooter and can get side to side in his net more efficiently than he was in previous seasons.  Pablo Ruiz

October 2020 – Dobes spent most of the year playing for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL, where he struggled with a 3.09 GAA and a .891 save percentage. However, with his 6-4 frame and athletic ability, there is reason to believe he will perform well at Ohio State University, where he is committed to attending next year. Pablo Ruiz