The Montreal Canadiens continued their offseason activity by signing goaltender Jakub Dobeš, one of their two remaining restricted free agents, to a two-year, one-way deal on Sunday.
The contract carries a $965,000 cap hit. Dobeš, who made his NHL debut last season, appears to be the frontrunner for the backup role behind Samuel Montembeault. Although Jacob Fowler and Kaapo Kähkönen are also in the mix, they’re expected to start the season in the AHL.
Last season, Dobeš posted a 7-4-3 record with a 2.74 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. In the playoffs, he went 1-2 with a 2.91 GAA and a .881 save percentage. He began the year with the Laval Rocket, and his call-up in place of Cayden Primeau helped spark the team’s strong second half.
The one-way nature of the deal, along with its two-year length, indicates the Canadiens’ confidence in Dobeš, as he’ll earn the same salary whether he plays in the NHL or AHL.
Defenseman Jayden Struble is now the Canadiens’ only remaining restricted free agent.
