Jakub Dobes' Calder absence divides Habs fans

The announcement of the Calder Trophy finalists on Tuesday has ignited a passionate debate within the Montreal Canadiens fanbase. While Ivan Demidov, Matthew Schaefer, and Beckett Sennecke were named as the three nominees for the NHL's top rookie award, the omission of goaltender Jakub Dobes has generated nearly as much discussion as Demidov's inclusion.

Social media platforms have been flooded with reactions from Canadiens supporters, revealing a clear split in opinion regarding the Czech goalie's exclusion from the prestigious shortlist.

A Fanbase at Odds Over Dobes' Candidacy

On one side of the argument stand fans who believe Dobes' regular season performance simply wasn't consistent enough to warrant a nomination. These supporters point to the fact that the Calder Memorial Trophy is awarded based on a player's performance across the entire regular season, not just a hot stretch. As one fan noted, Dobes only truly found his form around the 60th game of the campaign, and before that point, his play in front of the net left much to be desired.

On the other side are those who feel his remarkable late-season transformation should have earned him a spot among the finalists. One supporter argued that if you set aside his playoff performances, Dobes still deserved recognition, noting that the team's situation looked bleak before he took over as the starting goaltender. The sentiment of "if only his early season had matched his late-season form" was echoed repeatedly across fan discussions.

The attention surrounding Dobes has reached extraordinary levels — the famous Double's bar on Park Avenue has even temporarily renamed itself "Dobes's" in tribute to the goalkeeper.

Demidov's Case and the Calder Vote Ahead

While the spotlight currently shines brightest on Dobes due to his postseason heroics, Demidov's nomination reflects the remarkable consistency he displayed throughout the entire regular season.

The young forward finished with 62 points in 82 games, leading all NHL rookies in assists. He became only the seventh rookie in Canadiens franchise history to surpass the 60-point mark, producing at an impressive clip all year long to help propel Montreal into the playoffs.

The key question now facing the voting journalists is whether they will reward Demidov's sustained excellence over a full 82-game slate, or whether they'll lean toward Schaefer and Sennecke, both of whom caught fire during the final stretch of the regular season.

The answer could determine whether a Canadiens player brings home one of the sport's most coveted individual honors for first-year players.