Canadiens’ Dobes has right mindset to keep starter’s role

BROSSARD, Que. — So much of goaltending is about mindset, and it’s hard to imagine Jakub Dobes having a better one heading into his first official season as Montreal Canadiens starter.

That he’s unwilling to even acknowledge the job is his to lose — after an electric run from last trade deadline to Eastern Conference Final put him in pole position — is proof positive his head is in the right place.

“I don’t really look at it" as a job to lose, Dobes said after Thursday’s camp-opening practice. “We have a really good trio of goalies right now. ( Samuel Montembeault and Jacob Fowler ) are awesome. They were supporting me. I think it’s unfair to come here and say it’s my spot. We will be battling all three together for a spot, and whoever gets the start on the 29th will play. Whoever plays better deserves to play. So, that’s the mentality.”

Perhaps the cautionary tale Montembeault wrote last season helped Dobes adopt it.

Seeing the Becancour, Que., native come in without any real threat of being knocked out of that chair before he was not only ejected from it but also relegated to the third one had to have reinforced to Dobes just how tenuous the starter’s job is.

Montembeault earned it and was extended a long leash to keep it after finishing top-five in the NHL in goals saved above expected over 62 appearances the season prior.

But seeing the six-foot-three goaltender trip over it to fall so far from grace would provide a valuable lesson to any backup in his presence — but especially one of Dobes’ age and experience level.

The Ostrava, Czech Republic, native was just 24 years old at the start of last season. He was just 16 games into his NHL career. And he, too, went on to experience dramatic highs and lows over a very short period.

“I kind of remember the struggles, too,” he said. “People can say it was a really good season, but I remember that I wasn’t always at my best or I struggled a bit, too. I take that into consideration, and every day I will try to prove myself. I want to repeat (last season’s success) and (also) win the Stanley Cup. I feel like we were pretty close, but not close enough. So, I don’t think I’m satisfied with what happened last year, because we needed to get past Carolina and then Vegas, so that’s still seven more wins away. So no, I don’t think anything changed. I will try to be better than I was last year.”

He was dynamite from last trade deadline through the end of the regular season, winning 10 of 14 games and posting a .924 save percentage.