Photo of Samuel Montembeault (left) and Kaapo Kahkonen (right)

Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL

Samuel Montembeault is sick and must give up his net tonight against the St. Louis Blues at the Bell Centre.

The Canadiens confirmed Sunday that the Quebec goaltender will not participate in the game and that Kaapo Kahkonen has been recalled from the Laval Rocket to serve as backup behind Jakub Dobeš.

“The Canadiens have recalled goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the Laval Rocket. Samuel Montembeault (sick) will not participate in tonight’s game. Jakub Dobes will be in the net against the Blues.”

– Montreal Canadiens

Jakub Dobes strings together starts with the Canadiens

At 24 years old, a 5th-round pick of the Canadiens in 2020, Dobeš shows this season a record of 9-3-2, a goals-against average of 3.11, and a save percentage of .891 in 14 NHL games.

The young goaltender also earned, last summer, a two-year contract worth a total of $1.93 million, making him still a true «rookie bargain» in goal when looking at today’s goalie market.

In the background, Montembeault, 29, remains the number-one goalie on paper. His three-year contract signed in 2023 pays him $3.15 million per season, for a total of $9.45 million, but he carries this year a record of 5-6-1 with a 3.61 goals-against average.

Kahkonen arrives with very good numbers in Laval: six wins in nine games, a goals-against average of 2.81 and a save percentage of .895 with the Rocket this season.
The 29-year-old Finnish goaltender has accumulated 140 games of NHL experience between 2019 and 2024 with the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, and Colorado Avalanche, and he accepted this summer a one-year, $1.15 million contract with the Canadiens.

Tonight, the Canadiens will look to improve their 15-9-3 record and continue their momentum in front of their fans, after consecutive wins against the Jets and the Maple Leafs.

All eyes will be on how Dobes responds in this rare back-to-back scenario, and on Kahkonen’s first Montreal steps in a Canadiens uniform.

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Canadiens recall Kaapo Kahkonen and reveal their starter as Montembeault sits out vs. Blues

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