In 2010, the Montreal Canadiens had two exciting young goalies battling it out to see who would become the team\u2019s future franchise goalie. One was a fifth-overall pick expected to become the Canadiens\u2019 next great goalie. The other was a ninth-round pick with little expectation who quickly emerged as one of the NHL\u2019s best young goaltenders. While slightly different, it bears a resemblance to the Canadiens’ current situation with Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler.<\/p>\n
Who is Price, and who is Halak?<\/p>\n
While Fowler was not a fifth-overall pick like Price, the 2023 third-round pick\u2019s incredible collegiate career had analysts already pencilling him in as the next great Canadiens goalie.<\/a> Those discussions intensified even further when he made his NHL debut this season. Fowler backstopped the Canadiens to victory with a 36-save performance in a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The discussions did not only intensify because of his performance, but also because of who he got his first win against. Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, and Carey Price all got their first win against the Penguins, something Fowler now shares in common with three all-time great Canadiens.<\/p>\n Dobes’ rise, on the other hand, draws similarities to Halak. Dobes was drafted earlier than Halak, fifth round compared to a ninth-round pick, but like the Slovakian goalie, did not come in with anyone crowning him as the future of the Canadiens. Dobes continued his development after being drafted, but he began to attract attention from analysts and fans during a midseason call-up to the Canadiens. With Cayden Primeau struggling, the Canadiens elected to bring up Dobes to see if he could bring stability to the team\u2019s back-up goalie position. <\/p>\n His stock in the Canadiens organization began to skyrocket after his NHL debut. Not only did he have a 34-save shutout performance in his NHL debut, but he also became just the thirteenth goalie to win his first five career starts. While Halak did not win his first five career starts like Dobes, his rise up the Canadiens goalie ranks played out in a similar fashion. Halak made his NHL debut in the 2006-07 season when starting goalie Cristobal Huet went down with a groin injury. Halak played in 16 games that season, going 10-6 with a 2.89 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. His play down the stretch for the Canadiens opened up many people’s eyes to the possibility that the franchise may have two future starting-calibre goalies waiting in the wings. <\/p>\n The Canadiens next great goalie tandem<\/p>\n Similar to Price and Halak, Fowler and Dobes became a tandem midway through the NHL season, albeit through different circumstances. Price started the 2007-08 season with the Canadiens as Huet\u2019s back-up before the team decided to move forward with their two young netminders. The Canadiens traded Huet to the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline, bringing up Halak to act as Price\u2019s backup.<\/p>\n Flash forward now to this season, Dobes started the season as Samuel Montembeault\u2019s backup, with Fowler envisioned to play out the season with the Laval Rocket to further his development. Those were the plans, but after Montembeault\u2019s continued struggles this season<\/a>, the Canadiens believed that their best chance at winning games this season would be with the two young netminders tending the goal.<\/p>\n