Pete Fry Goalies of the Month - May 2026
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Each month, we recognize clients who are performing at a high level and demonstrating what happens when preparation, confidence, and mindset come together in the crease.
For May, we’re recognizing Christian Kirsch, Jakub Dobeš, and Mads Søgaard — three goaltenders who stepped into some of the biggest moments of the season and found ways to perform when the pressure was at its highest.
As the 2025-26 season comes to a close, this month is a powerful reminder of what elite goaltending is really about. It is not just about talent. It is about composure, resilience, belief, and the ability to rise when the moment demands it.
Christian Kirsch - Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
May Stats: 9-0-0-0 | 2.00 GAA | .928 SV%
Christian Kirsch put together a storybook finish to his season, leading the Kitchener Rangers to an OHL Championship and then helping them capture the 2026 Memorial Cup.
Kirsch was perfect in May, going 9-0-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. At the most important time of the year, he gave Kitchener exactly what every championship team needs: calm, steady, high-pressure goaltending.
His postseason run was not just impressive — it was championship-defining. The Rangers battled through the OHL playoffs, won the league title, and then carried that momentum into the Memorial Cup, where Kirsch continued to look composed and confident on junior hockey’s biggest stage.
The 6-foot-4 Swiss netminder, a San Jose Sharks draft pick and Quinnipiac University commit, has continued to establish himself as one of the top young goaltenders in the game. But what stood out most this month was not just his size, skill, or resume. It was his poise.
Championship runs test everything in a goaltender: your focus, your recovery, your emotional control, and your ability to stay locked in when the stakes keep rising. Christian handled every challenge with maturity and confidence.
That is what elite mindset looks like.
Jakub Dobeš - Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
May Stats: 6-8-0-0 | 2.72 GAA | .909 SV%
Jakub Dobeš continued his remarkable playoff run with the Montreal Canadiens, delivering some of the biggest performances of his young NHL career during the month of May.
After helping Montreal defeat Tampa Bay in a dramatic seven-game first-round series, Dobeš followed it up with another massive Game 7 performance against the Buffalo Sabres. In a winner-take-all overtime game, he stood tall under pressure and helped push the Canadiens into the Eastern Conference Final.
Dobeš was playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, facing elite shooters, hostile buildings, momentum swings, elimination pressure, and the intensity that only playoff hockey can create. Through it all, he continued to give Montreal a chance to win every night.
What made Jakub's playoff run so impressive was the way he handled the spotlight. As a rookie goaltender playing in some of the biggest games of his career, he remained composed, confident, and resilient despite the pressure, expectations, and outside noise that come with the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Night after night, he competed with maturity beyond his years and gave the Canadiens an opportunity to win. His ability to stay focused on the next save and embrace the moment was a major reason behind Montreal's deep playoff run.
Jakub’s rise has become one of the biggest stories in hockey this season. From regular-season breakout to playoff-tested NHL starter, he has shown what happens when confidence, preparation, and belief come together at the highest level of the game.
Mads Søgaard - Team Denmark (IIHF)
May Stats: 2-3-0-0 | 2.74 GAA | .902 SV%
Mads Søgaard stood tall for Denmark at the IIHF World Championship, representing his country on the international stage and giving Denmark a steady presence in goal against some of the best players in the world.
The 6-foot-7 Danish netminder finished May with a 2-3-0 record, 2.74 goals-against average, and .902 save percentage, facing high-level international competition and continuing to show the poise and competitiveness that have made him one of Denmark’s most important goaltenders.
Søgaard, a second-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, has already gained experience at the NHL and AHL levels. But playing for your country brings a different kind of pressure. International hockey is emotional. Every game matters. Every save carries weight. And for Denmark, having a goaltender who can stay composed against deeper, more talented rosters is critical.
What stood out about Mads was the confidence and composure he brought to every game. He competed hard, managed difficult situations well, and continued to demonstrate the calm presence that has made him such an important part of Denmark's national program. Facing elite international competition is one of the greatest tests a goaltender can face, and Søgaard consistently showed the ability to stay poised and perform under pressure.
Mads once again showed why he is one of Denmark's premier goaltenders and an important part of the country's future on the international stage.
We’re proud to recognize Christian Kirsch, Jakub Dobeš, and Mads Søgaard as our Goalies of the Month for May.
Each of them showed a different version of elite goaltending this month: championship composure, playoff resilience, and international poise.
At the highest levels of the game, talent alone is never enough. The goaltenders who continue to separate themselves are the ones who train their minds as seriously as they train their bodies.
These three are powerful examples of what that looks like in action.
For more insights into our Private Goalie Mindset Coaching program, click here.
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