A Winning Habit
Fansided

Montreal Canadiens Suddenly Have Plethora Of Great Goaltending Prospects

By Ken MacMillan

LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 4: Jacob Fowler #1 of the Boston College Eagles tends goal against the UMass Lowell River Hawks during NCAA men's hockey at the Tsongas Center on November 4, 2023 in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Eagles won 3-2. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 4: Jacob Fowler #1 of the Boston College Eagles tends goal against the UMass Lowell River Hawks during NCAA men's hockey at the Tsongas Center on November 4, 2023 in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Eagles won 3-2. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /
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Jul 8, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; General view of the Montreal Canadiens. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 8, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; General view of the Montreal Canadiens. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /

Quentin Miller

Quentin Miller was drafted by the Canadiens in the fourth round with the 128th overall selection. He was a hometown pick as he is from the city of Montreal and had been playing his hockey with in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Miller was part of a championship team with the Quebec Remparts last season, but played a backup role. William Rousseau, the team’s 19 year old starter played 47 games in the regular season and carried the mail during the QMJHL Playoffs, leading the Remparts to a league championship as well as a Memorial Cup win.

Miller earned plenty of experience playing 20 games at the top Junior level in the country, and had solid numbers with a 2.11 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. In a relatively high scoring league, those are impressive totals, but they also came while playing behind a stacked team.

This season, Rousseau is gone and Miller has taken over as the team’s number one goalie. Not only Rousseau, but most of the Remparts top performers from last season are gone as well, leaving behind a team that was predicted to be near the bottom of the QMJHL standings. This was going to be a much different test for Miller, who looked good on a good team, but could he hold up without a wall of great defenders in front of him?

So far, the answer is absolutely yes he can. Miller has played the lion’s share of games for the rebuilding Remparts this season, and has maintained a .910 SV% to go with his 2.64 GAA in 17 games played. He ranks 7th in the league in GAA and is 8th in SV% as an 18 year old, though he will be 19 just before the new year making this his 19 year old season as far as Junior leagues are concerned.

The Remparts are still struggling, and sit 9th in the ten team Eastern Conference. That really just makes Miller’s performance all the more impressive as he is playing behind a team that is among the worst in the league, and he is putting up numbers among the best in the league.

It will be interesting to see if he gets moved to a contender at the Christmas trade period and how he performs as a started on a good team. It will also be interesting to see if the team elects to send him back to Junior next season as an overager to continue playing a lot and developing his game, but that is a question for the future.

For now, we know he is playing terrific hockey and that is great news for the Canadiens.

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