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Montreal Canadiens: Options For The Habs Goaltender Of The Future

By Tyler Major-Mcnicol

PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 16: Jacob Fowler #29 looks on while tending goal in the first period of the 2023 BioSteel All-American game at USA Hockey Arena on January 16, 2023 in Plymouth, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 16: Jacob Fowler #29 looks on while tending goal in the first period of the 2023 BioSteel All-American game at USA Hockey Arena on January 16, 2023 in Plymouth, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images) /
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Feb 18, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Jakub Dobes (44) during the Faceoff on the Lake outdoor NCAA men’s hockey game. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchHockey Ncaa Men S Hockey Michigan Wolverines At Ohio State Buckeyes
Feb 18, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Jakub Dobes (44) during the Faceoff on the Lake outdoor NCAA men’s hockey game. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchHockey Ncaa Men S Hockey Michigan Wolverines At Ohio State Buckeyes /

Jakub Dobes:

Dobes has played for Ohio State since being selected, and has put up respectable numbers. He was selected with the 136th-overall pick, during the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, and has played 75 NCAA games since, posting a 42-28-5 record, with a 2.29 GAA and .926 SV%. He signed his Entry-Level Contract on March 31, 2023, which is a two-year pact, and will see him playing in the American Hockey League with the Laval Rocket starting next season.

Dobes is a big goaltender, and while he is on this list, he isn’t without faults. A season or two in Laval at minimum is certainly needed for Dobes to polish his game at the professional level. He has the tools and potential to be a great pro, but it will be largely predicated on how well he progresses. At 22 years old he is coming along nicely; as goalies are generally late bloomers, so betting on Dobes just before he enters his prime years could be of interest, but that jump from Junior or college to the pro level can be a tough transition for some goaltenders. The upcoming season will tell us a lot about Dobes future in the organization.

Jacob Fowler:

Fowler was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft, as the first of three goaltenders drafted during day two of the annual event. The Canadiens put an onus on goaltending, and rightfully so. Without a clear number-one starter, the time to stock up the cupboard was present, and Fowler looks to be a high-potential option to hold down the crease in the future. If all things go right, and Fowler’s play emulates his passion to play in front of the Centre Bell faithful, then the Habs could be in an enviable position.

Fowler had a brilliant season in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms, posting a 27-9-3 record, with a 2.21 G.A.A and .921 SV% and five shutouts. He then followed up his impressive regular season, showing his poise and maturity posting a 8-1-0 record, including one shutout on-route to a Clark Cup Championship win. So, while he is still growing and rounding out his game, he has proven that the championship pedigree is there, and he will hone his craft in the NCAA with Boston College where he could quickly develop a rivalry with fellow prospect Lane Hutson who is at Boston University.

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