Samuel Montembeault and Jacob Fowler have emerged as contrasting answers to the Canadiens’ recent goaltending strain. The comparison asks which path the club should favor: keep backing samuel montembeault as he drills a specific technical fix, or recall Jacob Fowler based on cleaner AHL numbers and recent form?
Jakub Dobes: Start vs. Maple Leafs after a heavy California workload
Jakub Dobes will start Tuesday at the Centre Bell against the Maple Leafs, giving the club a short-term plan for the next game. During the California trip, Dobes and Samuel Montembeault faced 99 shots combined and the tandem produced a collective save percentage of. 859. Dobes had rebounded against the Kings after allowing six goals to the Sharks, and the coaching staff has rotated starts to manage workload and performance.
Samuel Montembeault: Working on screened shots with Marco Marciano
Samuel Montembeault has admitted to stress tied to a mixed start to the season and to the possibility of being considered for the Canadian Olympic roster. He has been beaten several times by long or screened shots, and he is focusing on that specific weakness with goalie coach Marco Marciano. Montembeault said the team has concentrated on that element since his return from Laval: getting his eyes on the puck quickly and fighting through traffic to locate it.
Montembeault also echoed coach Martin St-Louis’s emphasis on team defence to help goaltenders. He urged teammates not to force rushes, to clear the puck to the offensive zone when neutral-zone options are limited, and to work to recover the puck rather than attempt low-percentage plays. St-Louis has targeted turnovers and cleaning the area in front of the crease as collective fixes to reduce the number of dangerous long attempts and rebounds facing his netminders.
Jacob Fowler: AHL form, a recent audition, and the recall debate
Jacob Fowler returned to game action after an illness and stopped 35 shots in a 4-2 win for the Rocket of Laval over Rochester. In the current American Hockey League schedule he has posted a. 916 save percentage and a 2. 23 goals-against average. Earlier in the season he drew a 10-game audition that concluded with a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on January 15.
Observers and some former players have suggested Fowler’s recall is imminent, arguing that persistent issues in the NHL net have affected team morale. Antoine Roussel said that monty’s uneven play has deflated teammates in certain moments and predicted organizational change may come. Jonathan Bernier also raised the recall idea in a post-match column. Those views frame Fowler as a serviceable alternative if the club decides to change direction.
| Metric | Samuel Montembeault / Jakub Dobes (team) | Jacob Fowler (AHL) |
|---|---|---|
| Recent combined shots faced | 99 shots (California trip) | — |
| Save percentage | . 859 (tandem during trip) | . 916 (AHL, current schedule) |
| Goals-against average | — | 2. 23 (AHL, current schedule) |
| Notable recent performance | Dobes rebounded vs. Kings; Montembeault working on screened shots | 35 saves in 4-2 win for Laval |
| Organizational context | Coach Martin St-Louis stressing fewer turnovers and cleaning front | Seen as recall candidate after solid AHL run |
Direct comparison shows two distinct solutions under the same evaluative criteria: recent numbers, specific technical issues, and team impact. On recent numbers, Fowler offers higher AHL metrics (. 916 and 2. 23). On technical remedy and integration, samuel montembeault is explicitly addressing a concrete weakness with the goalie coach and asking teammates to adapt their defensive choices. On team impact, commentary from former players highlights both morale concerns tied to NHL struggles and confidence in a potential change of direction.
Finding: The comparison establishes that Fowler presents a statistically cleaner short-term option in the AHL, while Samuel Montembeault remains the NHL-side figure actively working a specific technical flaw and leaning on team defence to reduce exposure.
Analysis: If samuel montembeault can translate his work with Marco Marciano into fewer goals allowed on screened or long shots, the club can justify keeping him in the rotation and focusing on collective defensive corrections. Conversely, if struggles persist in the immediate stretch, Fowler’s. 916 save percentage and recent 35-save performance strengthen the case for a recall.
Next confirmed event to test this finding: Tuesday’s game at the Centre Bell, when Jakub Dobes will be in net and the team will confront the immediate trade-offs between short-term form and longer-term technical repair.
