Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Martin St-Louis sent a strong message after the Avalanche game, and all signs point to Jakub Dobes being back in net for the next matchup.
The Canadiens’ head coach has rarely been this direct in his praise of a goaltender this season.
The quote reported by Stu Cowan last night leaves very little room for interpretation.
St-Louis emphasized the “big saves” made when the team was under defensive pressure.
Those are words that carry serious weight in a coaching staff’s decision-making process.
In today’s NHL, you don’t change a winning formula, and that’s something Martin St-Louis himself has preached since arriving in Montreal.
The 5th-round pick (136th overall) in the 2020 draft is showing impressive maturity in the crease.
Martin St-Louis’ revealing analysis of the Montreal Canadiens
“We had big stops when we were tested defensively,” Martin St. Louis says about Jakub Dobes.”
– via Stu Cowan
Fans can feel that the hierarchy is truly starting to shift.
A goalie who bails out his teammates’ defensive mistakes quickly becomes the coach’s best friend.
St-Louis didn’t talk about luck or favorable bounces.
He talked about presence in critical moments.
It would be illogical to break this rhythm by sitting him for the next game.
Merit should dictate the starting lineup, especially when it comes to goaltenders.
Dobes seized his opportunity and has no intention of giving it back.
It’s the only sensible decision after a performance like that.
The message has been delivered.
It confirms what we saw, and it seems to confirm that Samuel Montembeault will have to wait a little longer before getting his net back.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics