Canadiens Face Easy Choice Between Backup Goalies Dobes and Kahkonen

To St. Louis’ credit, he did give Dobes exactly 10 more starts from the point this piece, which suggested he do just that, was written in late January. However, the 10 should have been seen as the bare minimum, and, from March 3 until the end of the regular season, Montembeault started 17 of 22 games (prorated to 63 over 82 games), which while understandable in a certain light, seemed to play into the same mindset St. Louis seemed to display prior to Dobes’ arrival, that the former is Carey Price and his backup, whoever that is, simply cannot be trusted in high-pressure situations. Of course, in those games Montembeault put up a decent .906 SV%, but Dobes was far from chopped liver in his six appearances (.910).

Dobes’ Development Should Not Be a Burden

So, if the Canadiens keep Dobes, things will have to change, whereas going with Kahkonen would suggest nothing likely will. Kahkonen is 29 and coming off a season in which he played all but one of his 39 games in the American Hockey League. The Habs simply won’t consider Kahkonen’s development were they to keep him as Montembeault’s backup, whereas they would be “burdened” (for lack of a better word) with having to, otherwise.

For another lack of a better word, Kahkonen is more “expendable” than Dobes, which is another reason why you’d, all due respect, play the Finn against the Senators, who, again, showed a blatant intent to injure on multiple occasions in this past week’s game, resulting in several fines. You shouldn’t put a goalie on whom the future of the organization could largely depend in a situation like that, where he might be run, when you can avoid it.

And true enough, many see prospect Jacob Fowler as Price’s actual, eventual heir apparent. However, that is another reason to send Kahkonen down, so that the Laval Rocket can play Fowler as their starter, under the tutelage of a veteran. Were Dobes to be cut, they’d presumably be forced to split the games more evenly. While there’s something to be said for healthy competition for ice time, why not apply that same mindset in the NHL, divvying up starts between Dobes and Montembeault? When Dobes has done nothing to warrant a demotion? If anything, he’s proven himself worthy of more NHL starts. Remember that.

Dobes Over Kahkonen

It’s of course possible Kahkonen plays lights-out hockey tonight, if he does end up getting the nod against the Senators, making the decision as to which backup goalie to keep slightly harder. However, objectively speaking, while Kahkonen hasn’t been bad this preseason, Dobes has been better, albeit without having gotten tested as much. And isn’t that the point? To ice as good of a team as possible? Ultimately, the more you can rely on your backup, the fresher your starter remains. The better your team becomes as a whole.

Kahkonen would be a perfectly rational choice under normal circumstances. He’s proven himself capable in the NHL over a (much) larger sample size relative to Dobes. However, on the youngest projected team in the NHL rife with prospects and up-and-coming talent at every position, these aren’t really normal circumstances.

Just like the Canadiens have come to increase their reliance on their highly capable younger players at every position, out of necessity due to a lack of veterans, they must do the same in net. Kahkonen may be a rare veteran presence, but, when he’s as old as Montembeault, any argument to keep him misses its mark. Montembeault is the veteran, Dobes the younger goalie with an arguably higher ceiling. Cutting him wouldn’t just send the wrong message when Dobes has one nothing to warrant a demotion. It would also be the wrong move looking at his long-term development and the long-term outlook of the entire organization.

Put another way, there would be no reason at all.