NO HARM IN FOWLER

Canadiens’ goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler has been taking in the sights of development camp this week. Last summer, he dealt with a high ankle sprain that kept him out of testing, so this year, he’s making the most of his opportunities on the ice.

The question that surrounds Fowler is where he fits in the Canadiens competitive timeline. He’s proven himself enough to make the professional level, but he remains a few years out from gunning for a spot on the depth chart. It is interesting to wonder if the tendy out of Melbourn, Fla. is a fitting piece in the puzzle General Manager Kent Hughes is attempting to build.

So Far, So Good

The Canadiens drafted Fowler from the Youngstown Phantoms, wherein he went 27-9-3 with a .926 save percentage in his draft year. After being selected 69th overall by the Habs in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Fowler lit up—or rather, shut down—the NCAA. He racked up a 32-6-1 record with a 2.14 GAA and a .926 save percentage. The stud stat sheet was impressive but didn’t mean much in the NCAA National Championship Final. Fowler gave up the only two goals of the game, as Denver University bested Boston College 2-0.

During his media availability on Wednesday, Fowler talked about how staying competitive was the most notable adaption he made to his game over the last year:

“I always reminded myself of being a competitor. That, no matter what, if I gave up a bad goal or two bad goals, I was going to find a way to just make that last save and win a hockey game. This year, I thought going down the stretch, each game I felt I was giving up one goal that I felt I shouldn’t give up every night. You can get away with that at the college level. But as you go up to the pros, it’s different… So, for me, if I can eliminate those weak goals that go under [your pads] or go through, there’s not very many other places to score.”

This recognition from Fowler proves that his development is right on track for a netminder a few years out from pro participation. The question is if he is the goaltender the Habs go with down the line.

Sturdy Competition

After Jake Allen was sent to New Jersey, Sam Montembeault officially became the Canadiens’ starting goaltender. While a 16-15-9 record in 2023-24 is nothing to write home about, Montembeault frequently faced over 30 shots a game, plateauing to 40 on five different occasions. It makes for a battle-tested starting netminder, but it also takes a toll after too many games.

Montembeault will turn 28 in October. This means he is still young enough that if a window of contention opens within the next few seasons, consistent play will garner him the opportunity to be between the pipes. This is not a guarantee. A situation like giving up costly goals or (knock on wood, no) injuries keeping him scratched from the lineup could alter Montembeault’s tenure trajectory.

Cayden Primeau was a promising prospect coming out of Northeastern University, his 3.46 GAA and .894 career save percentage doesn’t scream reliability. In all fairness to him, the jump from college to the NHL is mountainous, and he has played sturdy in recent years for the Laval Rocket in their playoff runs. Primeau will back Montembeault for the foreseeable future. Sports is a profession where most people remember your most recent performance. Maybe Primeau can play his way into a starting spot slowly over time and with luck.

So where does that leave Fowler? He is young enough to fit into the window of contention, but he has to develop in the NCAA still before even sniffing an opportunity to represent the Canadiens in net. For now, respecting those ahead of him in the depth chart and learning under their tutelage will benefit his career.

Ode to the Greats Who Came Before

On Wednesday, Fowler sported a mask that was a clear tribute to Patrick Roy, an excellent detail for the city of Montreal to delight in. The more he familiarizes himself with the history and becomes acclimated to the hockey buzz generated by the fanbase, he should improve.

Fowler still has time before he’s able to make his mark on the NHL like so many Canadiens goaltenders before him. He’s captured a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship with Team USA, showing that he knows what it takes to be on a top team.

Whether or not it’s him in goal for the Habs’ contention window in the distant future is not in his control. What is in his control is prioritizing the finer details of his game, and that will help him be poised for when the team needs him most.

2024-07-04T21:49:25Z dg43tfdfdgfd