Canadiens' Winning Formula: Goalies Don't Need to Be Carey Price
The Montreal Canadiens have discovered a winning formula that doesn't require their goaltenders to perform at Carey Price's legendary level. Heading into Thursday's game in Detroit with Jakub Dobes in net, the Habs boasted an impressive 27-0-3 record when their netminders achieved a .900 save percentage or better.
Price's Era: Limited Offensive Support
During Carey Price's remarkable 15-season tenure with the Canadiens, offensive support was consistently limited. Only once during his rookie season in 2007-08 did Price witness a teammate surpass 80 points, when Alex Kovalev recorded 35 goals and 49 assists for 84 points. That season, the Canadiens ranked second in the NHL in offence, averaging 3.13 goals per game.
The following 14 seasons told a different story. Only during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season did the Canadiens rank higher than 13th in league offence, placing fourth with 3.04 goals per game over 48 contests. The only other time Montreal averaged three goals per game with Price in net was in 2018-19, when they reached exactly that mark.
Price never had a teammate score 40 goals during his Canadiens career. Max Pacioretty came closest with 39 goals in 2013-14. Only five of Price's teammates ever reached the 30-goal mark: Pacioretty achieved it five times, Brendan Gallagher twice, while Kovalev, Erik Cole, and Alex Galchenyuk each did it once.
Current Offensive Renaissance
The current Canadiens squad presents a dramatically different offensive picture. With 15 games remaining this season, Montreal already featured a 40-goal scorer and an 80-point player, ranking fourth in NHL offence with an average of 3.49 goals per game heading into Thursday's Detroit matchup.
Cole Caufield became Montreal's first 40-goal scorer since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94 when he scored in overtime against the Boston Bruins. Captain Nick Suzuki reached the 80-point mark for the second consecutive season, recording 24 goals and 56 assists for 80 points after finishing last season with 30 goals and 59 assists for 89 points.
The Canadiens entered Thursday's game holding third place in the Atlantic Division with a 37-20-10 record. While some fans speculate about how good the team might be with Price in goal, his US$10.5 million salary-cap hit would present significant challenges. Price, now 38, hasn't played since the 2021-22 season due to a career-ending knee injury.
New Goaltending Requirements
The reality is that the Canadiens no longer need Price-level goaltending to win games. What they require is consistent performance at a .900 save percentage threshold—something Samuel Montembeault achieved in each of the previous three seasons with save percentages of .901, .903, and .902 respectively.
This season, however, Montembeault has struggled with an .872 save percentage, allowing a goal on the first shot faced five times. This performance has relegated him to third-string status behind Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler.
The statistics speak clearly: Montreal remains unbeaten in regulation time when their goalies reach the .900 save percentage benchmark, with Dobes at 16-0-1, Fowler at 5-0-0, and Montembeault at 6-0-2 in such games. Price's career save percentage was .917, but the current team doesn't require that elite level.
Goaltending Rotation and Team Dynamics
Dobes earned his second consecutive start against Detroit after stopping 26 of 28 shots for a .929 save percentage in the overtime victory over Boston. In his last 16 games, Dobes has compiled a 12-2-2 record with a 2.72 goals-against average and .897 save percentage.
Head coach Martin St. Louis indicated that goaltending decisions will be made game-by-game for the remainder of the season. General manager Kent Hughes explained to The Athletic that "the goalie playing the game is the goalie they believe gives them the best chance to win that particular game."
This approach suggests Montembeault may not play again this season and could have appeared in his final game for Montreal. The 29-year-old has one season remaining on his contract with a US$3.15 million salary-cap hit.
The three-goalie situation presents unique challenges, but Fowler doesn't view it as problematic. "Monty and Doby are some of my closest friends on the team," Fowler noted. "We all have such good relationships with each other and, no matter who's in the net, everybody wants that save at the end. Everybody wants this team to win."
Dobes and Fowler bring contrasting styles to the crease. While Dobes isn't considered technically exceptional, he compensates with competitive spirit and willingness to challenge shooters aggressively. Fowler presents a calmer, more technically sound approach.
The bottom line remains clear: Whoever occupies the Canadiens' net, the team only requires a .900 save percentage to maintain their winning ways—a far cry from the Price-era expectations that demanded near-perfection from the goaltender.
