The Montreal Canadiens haven't added to their roster in free agency, but made sure they locked up their future. On the first day of free agency, it was an eight-year extension for Ivan Demidov, and on Thursday, it was a three-year extension for goalie Jakub Dobes.
The new contract that Dobes and the Canadiens agreed to begins in the 2027-28 season and has an AAV of $5.36 million, according to Frank Seravalli.
Dobes was a big reason for the Canadiens' success in the second half of the regular season and into the playoffs. He finished the season going 29-10-4 with a save percentage of .901 and a goals against average of 2.78, and was named first-team All-Rookie, joining Demidov on that team.
However, where Dobes probably earned this contract extension was in the playoffs. He outplayed Andrei Vasilevskiy in the first round and helped the Canadiens get all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.
Dobes had a save percentage of .908 and a goals against average of 2.66 while also finishing with the highest goals saved above average of all playoff goalies at 13.8, according to MoneyPuck.
Montreal Canadiens make it clear that Jakub Dobes is their starter moving forward
While it may not have been a question, this contract makes it abundantly clear that Dobes is their starter heading into the upcoming season. The Canadiens still have Samuel Montembeault on the roster, with Jacob Fowler also competing for starts.
It is hard to imagine that they will go into next season with three goalies, and Montembeault would be the goalie to be traded. That would allow Jacob Fowler to be the backup after promising starts last season, where he went 9-6-2 with a save percentage of .908 and a goals against average of 2.43.
The Canadiens have a history of elite goalie duos, with the most recent being Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak. A young duo of Fowler and Dobes gives them stability at a position that is known for volatility, and something they don't have to worry about for a few seasons now.
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