Montreal Canadiens Add Intriguing Goaltending Prospect in 3rd Round
The Montreal Canadiens stood firm and took David Reinbacher with the 5th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. There was much intrigue surrounding that pick, and apparently plenty of offers from other teams, but the Canadiens held onto it.
They did not hold on to their late first round pick, acquired from the Florida Panthers, or their early second round selection. Both of those picks were sent to the Colorado Avalanche for Alex Newhook, who is a young, skilled forward still looking to break out after a 30 point season in 2022-23.
This left the Canadiens without a second round pick in the draft, but they did still have their own third round selection. They also kept that one, and while they may have filled a need with a big, strong, two-way right defenseman with their first pick, they filled another need in the third round.
The Canadiens used the 69th overall selection to take goaltender Jacob Fowler. The Florida native played the past two seasons in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms, and posted stellar numbers.
The 18 year old had a 27-9-3 record last season with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in 40 games played. He was even better in the playoffs, posting a 1.36 GAA and a .952 SV% in nine games leading his team to a USHL Championship.
Those are impressive totals, and when compared to other young goaltenders from the United States, his numbers look even better.
Jeremy Swayman was drafted in the fourth round in the 2017 NHL Draft after posting a 2.90 GAA and a .914 SV% in the USHL. Spencer Knight was a first round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft after posting a 2.21 GAA and a .903 SV% in 16 games against USHL competition and that was with the U.S. Development Team. Trey Augustine was selected in the second round of this year’s NHL Draft, 41st overall, after putting up a 2.34 GAA and .928 SV% against USHL teams while a member of the U.S. Development program.
Youngstown clearly had a strong team in the USHL, but Fowler was a big part of it. Scouts rave about his ability to read the play and move laterally across the crease. He is a big goalie at 6’3″ and 223 pounds and uses that size, along with his quick movement to be in the right position to stop pucks.
Fowler is committed to Boston College next season. Their starting goaltender last season was Mitch Benson, but he has already signed a pro contract and his time in college has come to a close. That leaves the door wide open for Fowler to be a starting goalie for a prominent college team as a freshman. Boston College also has first round picks Will Smith, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault joining the team next season so they should have all kinds of firepower up front.
Fowler’s time in the USHL shows he could be an excellent college goaltender as soon as next season. He gives the Montreal Canadiens a solid goaltending prospect in the system, though he should stick around the NCAA for two of three years before turning pro.
When the Canadiens traded the 31st and 37th picks, it appeared they would not get a top goaltending prospect in this year’s NHL Draft. But Fowler put up very similar numbers to Augustine who was taken earlier, and the Canadiens new goaltending prospect has the potential to be just as good as any goalie in this draft.
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