{"id":253471,"date":"2025-11-01T00:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T00:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/253471\/"},"modified":"2025-11-01T00:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T00:59:08","slug":"dobson-impact-trade-options-upgrades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/253471\/","title":{"rendered":"Dobson Impact, Trade Options, Upgrades"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the NHL season in full swing, it\u2019s time to answer the first of many Montreal Canadiens<\/a> mailbags that will be published this year.<\/p>\n

As per usual, I would like to thank the Habs fans who submitted a question. No one can ever question your passion for this team, which makes covering the Canadiens a very enjoyable job. <\/p>\n

If you have a question for next week\u2019s mailbag, please make sure to drop it in a comment below the article. <\/p>\n

This week, we\u2019ll discuss prospects, potential roster upgrades, trades, goaltending, Vikings, and much more.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into the questions!<\/p>\n

Joshua Roy<\/p>\n

Why do you think Joshua Roy hasn\u2019t made an impression in the games he\u2019s played with the Habs, and do you think it\u2019ll ever happen?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Claire Cappelletti (@c_cappelletti) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

Hi, Claire!<\/p>\n

For those of you who aren\u2019t familiar with Claire, she\u2019s one of the nicest people I\u2019ve had the pleasure of meeting since I started covering the Habs. Not only has she supported me in every step of my career, she\u2019s gone out of her way to include me in a few social activities, which is much appreciated, as I\u2019ve slowly yet surely become a hermit in my old age. <\/p>\n

As for the Roy inquiry, I\u2019d suggest it\u2019s a situation that has been impacted by multiple changes in the organization, rather than just a player failing to earn his keep.<\/p>\n

First off, when Roy was among the only legitimate forward prospects in the system, he alone held the spotlight. Now that Kent Hughes has taken over, not only has the prospect pipeline been bolstered significantly, holdovers from the previous regime, including Roy, have seen their standing among the Canadiens prospect drop to a certain extent.<\/p>\n

There has also been a drastic change in the ideal style of play in Montreal. Skill is still important, but it must be paired with a consistent effort, and that\u2019s not always the case for Roy. <\/p>\n

But ultimately, it\u2019s very difficult for a forward who is used to playing big minutes, including heavy powerplay usage, to produce if used on the fourth line. Additionally, it\u2019s hard to concentrate on producing when you know your opportunities will be limited.<\/p>\n

I still believe Roy can make a positive impact in Montreal, but to do so, he\u2019ll need to be used in the top six, and as it stands, there\u2019s no place for him on the second line.<\/p>\n

Montreal Canadiens Upgrades<\/p>\n

Aside from the obvious, glaring hole at #2 C, do you see any other pieces or players being added if the Habs stay in a playoff spot?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Monctonscout (@Monctonscout) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

It\u2019s interesting that Moncton Scout is looking at the current situation in the standings as a volatile one, rather than a sure bet, which is how many fans have interpreted Montreal\u2019s strong start.<\/p>\n

My opinion aligns with the good Sir from New Brunswick. <\/p>\n

Statistically speaking, the Canadiens are currently being powered by their first line, not to mention Ivan Demidov<\/a>\u2018s dominant play on the second line.<\/p>\n

Only the top line is generating the type of underlying numbers that should be considered sustainable. The second line, which includes Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Alex Newhook, is surviving on pure skill, but their possession metrics are far from great.<\/p>\n

They control roughly 41 percent of the shots, and 46 percent of the expected goals at 5v5.<\/p>\n

However, I\u2019m not convinced it\u2019s simply a No.2 centre issue. Yes, Newhook has played well, and Kapanen has taken advantage of the high-quality scoring chances generated by Demidov, but the overall skill level on the second line leaves something to be desired.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d be shocked if Demidov could not repeat the same results with two different linemates. <\/p>\n

In that vein, I\u2019d point to the entire second line as a significant issue, especially if the third and fourth lines continue to struggle to produce any semblance of offence.<\/p>\n

Personally, I\u2019d bring Bolduc back into the fold, as he was generating more high-danger scoring chances than anyone else on the team before he was oddly demoted to the fourth line.<\/p>\n

With Bolduc, you have a chance to maintain half-decent underlying numbers, which, in turn, means they can be sustained throughout the season.<\/p>\n

Once the top six is stabilized, I\u2019d ask my general manager to find me a player who can drive the offence in the bottom six. Brendan Gallagher continues to work harder than most, and he\u2019s doing all he can to generate quality chances, but overall, the bottom six has been the greatest disappointment for a team that was hoping to improve its offensive depth.<\/p>\n

The Canadiens have received just two 5v5 goals between Josh Anderson (1), Kirby Dach (1), Jake Evans (0), and Joe Veleno (0).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s simply not good enough for a team hoping to make some noise in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Canadiens Surprises<\/p>\n

Who has surprised you the most so far this year?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Cam Hass (@Cameronm76) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

Noah Dobson is my clear-cut choice for the biggest surprise.<\/p>\n

I was aware of his potential impact, and I knew he was the exact type of player the Habs needed to take the next step in their rebuild, but I had no idea how quickly and efficiently he\u2019d shore things up, both offensively and defensively.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been a godsend, and a significant reason why the Canadiens are among the hottest teams in the NHL. <\/p>\n

Canadiens Improvements<\/p>\n

After tonight, they will play 8 of the next 10 at Centre Bell. What question(s) do you hope will be answered by the end of that sort-of home stand?<\/p>\n

\u2014 After i (@JMcinthe613) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

The biggest red flag in Montreal\u2019s early-season success has been the discrepancy between results and the possession numbers.<\/p>\n

Are the Habs simply thriving due to Nick Suzuki\u2019s excellence? Cole Caufield\u2019s hot stick? Ivan Demidov\u2019s elite skill set? Jakub Dobes\u2019 refusal to lose?<\/p>\n

I believe they are, and unless the rest of the lineup starts to pick up the slack, the playoffs are far from a lock.<\/p>\n

If we remove the first line from the equation, the Habs have only managed to control 43 percent of the high-quality scoring chances this season, roughly as many as the Chicago Blackhawks have controlled, pointing to Dobes\u2019 hot start as a key reason why they\u2019re doing well in the standings.<\/p>\n

Dobes won\u2019t stay perfect forever, Suzuki won\u2019t extend his scoring streak to 81 games, Caufield won\u2019t keep scoring each game, and Demidov is bound to hit a valley among all the peaks.<\/p>\n

Will the Canadiens receive offensive contributions from other players in the lineup? Time will tell.<\/p>\n

Bolduc Situation<\/p>\n

Marc how long before we see Bolduc on line 2<\/p>\n

\u2014 John Smidt (@john_smidt10) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

Martin St-Louis has done a great job evolving alongside his young players. A few years ago, he refused to use his timeouts, and he really didn\u2019t pay much attention to the goaltending situation. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s no longer the case.<\/p>\n

Therefore, he deserves a lot of credit for his growth.<\/p>\n

However, I don\u2019t understand why he removed Bolduc from the second line. It genuinely does not make any sense. Bolduc was making a positive impact on every night, much to the contrary of his usage on the fourth line.<\/p>\n

Statistically speaking, Bolduc should be on the second line as of immediately. <\/p>\n

Normandy Pride<\/p>\n

Are there still Vikings on earth? <\/p>\n

Else, how should MSL manage Demidov time to give him more?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Odin (@KoKa1AShOt) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

Two very important questions. Let\u2019s start with the big one.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d say yes, there are still Vikings on earth. <\/p>\n

Look at it this way, the Norsemen who ended up being given Normandy, were clearly Vikings, right?<\/p>\n

Charles the Simple, King of West Francia, gave Rollo the land north of his empire around 911 BCE, because he wanted the endless Viking raids to cease. <\/p>\n

The land is known as Normandy, as it was populated by the \u201cNorthmen\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Normans went on to invade England in 1066, Southern Italy between the late 10th and 12th centuries, not to mention several cities during the First Crusade, including Jerusalem in 1099.<\/p>\n

You could make a strong argument that the Normans, who clearly descended from the Vikings, are among the greatest conquerors in history, and we haven\u2019t even discussed the Viking impact on places such as Kievan Rus, or Constantinople during the Byzantine Empire.<\/p>\n

My family comes from Normandy, therefore I get to claim lineage linking us to Vikings. There are millions of people around the world who can claim the same.<\/p>\n

Who is going to stop us? <\/p>\n

Historically speaking, no one.<\/p>\n

As for Demidov, I wouldn\u2019t lose any sleep over his usage. I believe St-Louis deserves the benefit of the doubt, especially after he essentially handed Lane Hutson a considerable amount of ice time during his rookie campaign.<\/p>\n

Until the second line is shored up, I\u2019m not convinced more ice time is the right decision for that trio, and I get the sense that St-Louis agrees, based on their limited usage at 5v5.<\/p>\n

That being said, Demidov is already averaging over 2 minutes of powerplay ice time per game, a situation that would lead to envy from most rookies around the league.<\/p>\n

Retirement Issue<\/p>\n

Why hasn\u2019t Lemaire\u2019s #25 been retired? He\u2019s been honored in NJ and Minnesota for his contributions but never in Montreal. It\u2019s a real shame.<\/p>\n

\u2014 ArtemisGordon (@ArtemisGordon1) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

There are a few players, including Lemaire (No.25), who deserve to see their number retired by the Canadiens.<\/p>\n

The first that comes to mind is Steve Shutt (No.22), who still holds the record for the most goals scored in a season (60). Guy Lafleur matched him, but Shutt was the first to reach that prestigious level.<\/p>\n

You could also make a strong argument that Toe Blake\u2019s No.6 deserves to be retired.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a little more complicated for the Habs, as they\u2019re starting to run out of numbers, and there are younger players who will start to be considered for jersey retirements, including Carey Price (No.31) and Andrei Markov (No.79).<\/p>\n

Simply put, it\u2019s an embarrassment of riches, born from the Canadiens being one of the most dominant sports franchises in history. <\/p>\n

Horse Before Cart<\/p>\n

2 scenarios I see playing out in Goal:
1A\/1B situation
Monty gets moved. Yes, no one likes this one. Everyone feels he’ll bounce back, make big saves when needed midszn. If Monty was moved, would they look for a back up to Dobes? And, would they be seeking a 2C in return?<\/p>\n

\u2014 LePetitViking \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\udfa7\u2712\ufe0f\ud83e\udd45\ud83c\udfc8 (@halfnthebag) October 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

It would be a mistake to trade Montembeault at this point. Yes, Dobes has been great, but it\u2019s a long season.<\/p>\n

Think of it as a marathon, rather than a sprint.<\/p>\n

At one point, Montembeault\u2019s numbers will inevitably improve, while Dobes<\/a>\u2018 stats will be very difficult to maintain.<\/p>\n

A trade would also put more pressure on Dobes and Jacob Fowler, which is far from ideal for young netminders. <\/p>\n

But to answer your question, goaltenders rarely command a strong return on the NHL\u2019s trade market, which connotes they\u2019d be unlikely to land a legitimate No.2 centre by dangling Montembeault.<\/p>\n

Therefore, I see little to no value in entertaining trade hypotheticals for Montembeault. It\u2019s not the most exciting answer, granted, but such is life when discussing goaltender trade value in the NHL.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"avatar\"<\/p>\n

\t\tMarc has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for Journal Metro, The Athletic, The … More about Marc Dumont<\/a><\/p>\n

\t