After a brief holiday intermission, the Montreal Canadiens (14-17-3) are re-entering the rink to take on the formidable Florida Panthers (22-12-2) today at 1 PM ET. This match promises to be a riveting encounter as it not only pits two competitive teams against each other but also marks a significant milestone for a young goaltender.

In a thrilling turn of events, Jakub Dobes has been recalled from the Laval Rocket and will be making his highly anticipated NHL debut against the defending Stanley Cup champions. Fans are buzzing with excitement as Dobes, known for his fierce competitiveness, steps into the spotlight. During his collegiate career with Ohio State, he played a staggering 2,361 minutes in the 2022-23 season, showcasing his endurance as the Buckeyes relied heavily on him while the backup options totaled only 37 minutes.

Standing at 6’5”, Dobes possesses the ideal wingspan for a goaltender, and his recent performances with the Rocket have illustrated his growing skill set. Today's game serves as a crucial audition, allowing the Canadiens to assess his readiness to potentially be Samuel Montembeault's backup—vital as Montembeault navigates a busy schedule and looks towards international competition, representing Canada at the 4 Nations Faceoff in February.

In light of this, it’s clear the Canadiens are concerned about Montembeault's workload, particularly with Cayden Primeau’s limited ice time in December suggesting a lack of confidence from the organization in relying on him as a primary option.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on Patrik Laine, who previously exited Monday’s game after taking a few heavy hits. Fortunately, Laine's status appears optimistic: he skated during practice, partnering with Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook, which indicates he may be ready to return to action. The 26-year-old forward has been a key player for the Blue Jackets and fans are eager to see him back on the ice after speculation surrounding his future in Ohio.

Projected Lineup for the Montreal Canadiens:

- **Forwards:** Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, Patrick Laine, Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Gallagher, Emil Heineman, Jake Evans, Joel Armia

- **Defensemen:** Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle, Alex Carrier, Arber Xhekaj, David Savard

- **Goalies:** Samuel Montembeault, Cayden Primeau

Projected Lineup for the Florida Panthers:

- **Forwards:** Rodrigues, Barkov, Reinhart; Verhaeghe, Bennett, Tkachuk; Luostarinen, Lundell, Boqvist; Greer, Nosek, Samoskevich

- **Defensemen:** Forsling, Ekblad; Schmidt, Kulikov; Balinskis, Boqvist

- **Goalie:** Knight

With all of this excitement brewing, fans can’t afford to miss the intense showdown between the Canadiens and Panthers. Buckle up, hockey lovers—it’s game time!