When Jakub Dobes affirms that the person he admires most in the world is his father Zdenek, we suspect that it is more because of their links than the hockey talents of his father, who had an altogether anecdotal career in Czech Republic.
“I don’t really define myself in relation to others, my circle is very tight,” said the Canadian goalkeeper on Thursday. A good player, and knowing he had to name NHL players, he added that he always liked Andrei Vasilevskiy, of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and, “obviously,” Carey Price. “Both are amazing,” he said.
When asked if he had met Price so far, the young man lit up. Yes, he saw it in the flesh. But no, the two did not discuss together. “I was so nervous,” he admitted.
No one will get any younger reading this, but Dobes was 4 when Carey Price was drafted, 6 when Price made his NHL debut. Suffice it to say that, from his native Czech Republic, he has followed Price’s career for as long as he can remember.
“Would you like to hear what advice he could give you? », asked a journalist.
“My God, of course! Dobes said. He’s a future Hall of Famer, I’ll listen to him! I want to learn from him. The day will come and we can talk. »
We will be careful not to make a comparison between the two. Fifth round pick of the Habs (136th overall) in 2020, Dobes does not arrive in Montreal with the pedigree of his idol. He doesn’t lack self-confidence though.
The one who just concluded a flamboyant college career with the Ohio State Buckeyes describes himself as a competitor – a gamer, to quote him – who “gets the job done.”
“When the stakes are high, not many people can beat me,” he says. His professional prowess remains to be seen, but he was a finalist for the title of best NCAA goalkeeper in 2023 and led his team to the quarterfinals of the national championship. The Buckeyes finally bowed their flag against Quinnipiac University, future champion.
After his club was eliminated, he signed his first NHL contract with the CH and joined the Laval Rocket. He did not play any games, but was nevertheless able to taste this new caliber and understand the difference with university hockey.
“The speed is similar, but the players are even better,” he believes. They find the corners [of the net] better, they make better plays, they have more experience… In our team, there were shooters like I had never seen! »
The 21-year-old goalie doesn’t care much about the surplus of employees at his position in the Canadiens’ organization chart. A situation which, barring a transaction, will have effects on the Rocket, its likely team for the coming months. “I just want to play games and get better. »
Learning from the best and rising to the next level, for him, is “like a drug,” he said, just before surprising himself for having chosen this analogy. No one held it against him.
He already knows that he will have to learn to play “more calmly” and deeper in his net. He recalls that he will no longer be forgiven for certain tough situations that he could get out of without problems in the junior and university ranks.
He must therefore be the “best version” of himself.
“After a match, do you think more about the saves you made or the goals you allowed? “, asked another journalist.
Dobes responds: “I’m thinking about winning. If you win, that’s all that matters. »
Let’s take it for granted.
The Canadian published an update of the biometric data of its players on Thursday. We learned that David Reinbacher had gained nearly an inch since the NHL prospects evaluation camp last spring. The Austrian defender, the organization’s first choice last June, mainly added 15 pounds to his frame during the summer. The management of Kloten, his home club in Switzerland, as well as that of the Canadian seem to have told him that at 6’3″, he was a little frail at 194 pounds. So here he is at 209 pounds. A lot of pasta and protein were part of his diet, he said. “I think I did a good job. I feel good on the ice. At the size I have, I needed to add muscle. »
We won’t start drawing conclusions before the rookie tournament even begins – that has already been seen, mind you – but Joshua Roy was immediately given an advantageous place in the training that was deployed to training Thursday morning. The former Sherbrooke Phœnix in fact formed a trio with Owen Beck and Emil Heineman, who are respectively the best center in the group as well as one of the wingers most likely to land a position with the Canadian. “I can’t wait to see how it goes, I’m really excited,” said the striker. Like many others, after a summer of hard work, he sets his sights on playing with the Habs, even if it is probably the Laval Rocket who awaits him. Regarding the prospect of finding himself in the American League, he was enthusiastic about the idea of rubbing shoulders with the Rocket’s probable captain, Gabriel Bourque, “a really sharp guy” whom he wishes to take as an example.
As we have said, the rookie camp is still very young, but already, certain players are standing out. Defender Logan Mailloux particularly praised Emil Heineman, whom he says he has been observing for a while now. “He has a great shot and he fights hard in the corners. It’s my favorite so far,” he said. Mailloux was the choice of goalkeeper Jakub Dobes. According to him, the defender is the dark horse of the group. “I think he can get to the next level and play in the NHL,” he analyzed. To be continued.
