The Maple Leafs Old Guy vs. the Canadiens Kid

There it was. As soon as the starting goalies were announced for tonight’s Maple Leafs-Canadiens opener, the game suddenly got a little more interesting. Sergei Bobrovsky in one net. Jakub Dobes in the other.

The old guy versus the kid. The established veteran versus the young goalie trying to make a name for himself. And honestly, this could be a really good game.

Bobrovsky Has Been Here So Many Times Before.

There isn't much Sergei Bobrovsky hasn't seen. The guy has played in pressure games, playoff games and Stanley Cup Final games. He's won Vezina Trophies. He's been through stretches where everything seemed to go in and stretches where he looked impossible to beat.

Now he's wearing a Maple Leafs jersey and starting the season in front of a Toronto crowd that has been waiting a long time to see what this new-look team actually looks like. That's a pretty good assignment for an old pro. Bobrovsky didn't come to Toronto to learn what the NHL is about. He came here because the Leafs are betting that there is still some good hockey left in him. And tonight, the bet gets real.

Dobes Gets the Other End of the Story.

Jakub Dobes is a different story altogether. He's 25, which doesn't exactly make him a teenager, but in goaltending years he's still a kid figuring out what he can become. He had a strong season last year. And what a personality. There’s something joyful about his game.

Dobes went 29-10-3 in 43 regular-season games for Montreal, with a 2.78 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Then he played another 19 games in the playoffs. That's not somebody Montreal is putting in the net just because it's opening night. There's a reason he's there.

And now he gets to open his season against the Maple Leafs, in Toronto, while standing across from one of the most accomplished goaltenders of his generation. That's the fun part.

Tonight’s Game Means Something Different for Each Goalie.

For Bobrovsky, tonight is about showing that the next chapter can be a good one. For Dobes, it's about showing that the last chapter wasn't a fluke. And that's why I'm looking forward to this matchup. It's not really old versus young. It's experience versus possibility.

Bobrovsky knows what he's supposed to do. Dobes is still figuring out just how good he might be. Put those two stories in opposite nets, add a new-look Maple Leafs team, a Montreal club coming off a deep playoff run, and the first game of the season suddenly has another little subplot.

Sometimes you don't have to manufacture the story. You just have to look at who's standing in the crease. Tonight, the old guy and the kid get to see what the other can do.