Canadiens Invest in the Future With Dobeš $16.07 M Extension

Nick Suzuki and Jakub Dobeš during a game on March 12, 2025. Photo by Jenn G.

Written By Gina Anton

The Montreal Canadiens are betting on their future in net, signing rising goaltender Jakub Dobes to a three-year, $16.07 million contract extension that keeps him under contract through the 2029-30 season.

Dobes, 25, took a major step forward in his first full NHL campaign, leading all rookie goaltenders with 29 wins while finishing 29-10-4 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 43 games. He followed that up with an impressive playoff run, posting a 2.66 GAA and .908 save percentage in 19 postseason appearances as Montreal reached the Eastern Conference Final.

The extension, which carries a $5.357 million average annual value beginning in the 2027-28 season, underscores Montreal's belief that Dobes can be a key piece of its long-term core. After developing from a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft into an All-Rookie Team selection, the young goaltender has already shown he can handle both the regular season and playoff pressure.

The milestone marks another chapter in Dobeš' unconventional path to the NHL. After leaving his native Czechia for Missouri at 16 to pursue stronger competition with the St. Louis AAA Blues, he has developed into a cornerstone of Montreal's future. By locking him up before he reached restricted free agency, the Canadiens also gain long-term cost certainty at one of hockey's most important positions as they look to build on last season's deep playoff run.