Has Jakub Dobes done enough to leapfrog Samuel Montembeault?

Jakub Dobes has been a breath of fresh air for the Montreal Canadiens, providing support and stability between the pipes.

Through his first four games leading into the matchup against the New York Rangers, Dobes has posted an impeccable four wins and zero losses. Dobes has yet to start a game at the Bell Centre, but the four wins came against Florida, Colorado, Washington and Dallas. Three of his four wins were against teams that have won a Stanley Cup in the last 10 seasons.

Saying that Dobes has been comfortable would be an understatement, he has been brilliant and the Habs have benefitted from the support of two competent NHL goalies. Dobes is playing in his fifth game of the season, so the sample size is small, but he has looked outstanding. The 2015 Vezina, Hart, Ted Lindsay and William M. Jennings trophy winner took to his social media to congratulate the Czech-born goaltender after his first NHL win in his debut.

With his first start at the Bell Centre, I think his performance will further solidify that he is an NHL-calibre goaltender. But does his play this season, especially this early warrant the conversation of him potentially stealing the starting role from under Samuel Montembeault's nose? I think that it's early to have this conversation, but that doesn't mean that everybody is on the same page, as far as this topic goes, anyway.

I do see similarities between Dobes and Carey Price's positioning and playing style, both are calm and cool and utilize their large frames to perfection. Dobes also handles the puck quite well for the Canadiens, shutting down dump-in attempts, and assisting on the breakout at times. He is a very toolsy goaltender, and I expect that he will have a long NHL career, but is it too early to suggest him being the starter?

As you can imagine after the Canadiens hiccup performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night, Canadiens media is losing their lid. It's a large overreaction, as I think the Canadiens losing a game during a stretch like they've been through, brings them back to earth. At times when success is plentiful, teams and individuals get complacent, and Saturday's loss ensures that the Habs aren't going to do that.

It wasn't a matter of not working hard enough, but penalty trouble and a monumental collapse led to a blown three-goal lead. Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll played out of his mind and sealed the win for his team once the Leafs had five goals on the board. The Habs pressed hard to get back, but a poor night for Montembeault and a lack of goals sent the Habs off with a loss.

I think Montembeault has earned the benefit of the doubt, and he will continue to play as the starter until there is no question that Dobes has taken the role.

Owen Beck in, Michael Pezzetta out

I wrote an article about my frustration and the collective frustration of the Canadiens fanbase because of Michael Pezzetta's poor play. I have believed for some time that Owen Beck deserved a callup, and when he got one, he would make his mark. Beck is sort of the opposite side of the coin with Pezzetta, the pair are having polar opposite seasons.

If Beck plays strong enough, I think this would become an enviable position for Kent Hughes to be in. I would move Christian Dvorak yesterday before he becomes a free agent, and you get nothing for him. With Owen Beck and Emil Heineman in the lineup, the Canadiens are much better than with Dvorak and Pezzetta.

I like what Beck brings to the Habs lineup, and I think that his speed and great shot will be a difference-maker for the Habs. Additionally, Beck is great in the faceoff dot, which will come in handy against some of the stout defensive teams. The importance of gaining possession of the puck off a faceoff is often the difference between one or two goals and zero goals.

Beck brings many intriguing things to the table, and if not for Oliver Kapanen, he might have started the season with Montreal. No worries, though, because he is there now, and I think he could force St Louis to keep him around. He is young and hungry, and the Habs are looking to prove the rebuild is moving in a positive direction.