Dobes Against Florida Isn’t a Good Idea

Now that Jakub Dobes has been recalled, it’s fair to talk about what to look for if he were to play against the Florida Panthers. The positive of this is that the Panthers shooters don’t have a book on him. Sure, they can look at his Laval highlights and tendencies, but it’s not the same as facing someone in person. Video work is great, but actually facing that player is better, and there won’t be any familiarity.

On the downside, the Panthers have a veteran lineup that knows how to get under the goalies' skin. Matthew Tkachuk is a master of that. He has 13 goals this year and had a two-goal game in a recent game against the Minnesota Wild. He’s probably the biggest problem for a rookie goalie.

Related: Jakub Dobes is Getting The Job Done in Laval

The other big problem is the Panthers' tendency to get in a ‘goalie's kitchen’. They always have players in the crease, especially on the power play, but they know how to overload in the crease. I’ve seen veteran goalies fall victim to this and I would think Dobes would have similar problems.

Sam Reinhart would be another player to watch. He has four short-handed goals this season. That’s more than some teams. Nothing is more deflating for a goalie than giving up a shortie. He has 22 goals, seven of them on the power play. If I were the Canadiens I wouldn’t want my rookie to face the Panthers. Choose the game against Tampa. Neither is ideal but this one just seems like a bad idea.