Montreal Canadiens: Jacob Fowler Gives Reason For Hope In The Habs Crease

The history of the Montreal Canadiens has been one that has seen plenty of brilliant goaltenders who have come and gone.

Carey Price, for better or for worse, should be a name on the list. He never won a Stanley Cup championship, however, prior to his injury in the playoffs at the hands of New York Rangers clown Chris Kreider, the Habs were looking like a Stanley Cup bound train, that had Price playing out of his mind.

There’s also the Stanley Cup Final run in what would end up being the nail in the proverbial coffin of his playing career. He was the main reason the team was able to even get out of the first round, let alone make it all the way to the final round in 2021. Despite having no cup rings to show for it, he has done everything else.

Long story short, Price belongs on any list of the Habs’ greatest goalies of all time. I will take that one step further in saying that he should be right there with Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden, Jacques Plante and the two Georges. Hainsworth and Vezina.

They all deserve their flowers, and that is significant, especially considering that they were largely the backbone of the Canadiens’ stretches of dominance. As, the winningest franchise in NHL history, with 24 Stanley Cup champions. Don’t get me wrong, the rosters were a strength, but the goalies deserve their praise as well.

Montreal has been lucky enough to keep turning out starting goaltenders, and with Price done. The next man up becomes important, and there are a couple of guys in the mix. Jakub Dobes and Cayden Primeau are looking to make some noise at the pro level this season. And the Habs have some options from the past two drafts.

Yevgeni Volokhin and Quentin Miller have been playing exceptionally well in their respective leagues. The Russian MHL, and The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Both look like guys who should be monitored, but there’s one guy who has stood out from the pack for all the right reasons.

Enter Jacob Fowler

You can’t put too many eggs in your basket when assessing a player, based simply on their character and the way they handle themselves. Who said that? It’s true, in a way, you want the kid to be a hockey player, who has high character. But that character – from dealing with adversity – allows a player to develop differently, with a chip on their shoulder.

It goes beyond the competitive edge that you would expect from an NHL talent, it’s almost like a flame that once it gets ignited, can’t be burnt out. Fowler revealed in draft interview footage that he had a serious chip on his shoulder because he was passed over during both the CHL and USHL during his draft year. It stung him, but his drive and passion to get better were two strong foundational attributes that kept him in check.

Undeterred, but obviously very bothered, Fowler made his way into the USHL, and he had a lot to say. The Youngstown Phantoms took a chance on Fowler, and he never looked back. The Melbourne, FL native played two seasons in the USHL and piled up the awards, capped off by the Clark Cup Championship. Along with playoff MVP honours.

For all these reasons, the Canadiens fell in love with his character, and his brilliant play in the USHL was the final icing on the cake. Fowler was their guy, and the Boston College Eagles were where he was going to show Kent Hughes and co the kind of player that he is.

Poised, methodical and positionally aware – the lighter and stronger Fowler, makes routine saves look simple with his quickness. The confidence Fowler has in his ability is precisely what elevates him to such a high playing level.

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis gave the kid a piece of advice during training camp in late September. Essentially, St. Louis felt that the best way to prepare is to ensure you’re always ready. You need to continue working and progressing, in anticipation of that rare opportunity, which will present itself. If you blink you’ll miss it basically, so stay ready.

Fowler has in fact been ready, and his 11-2-1 record with the BC Eagles confirms that. Fowler just keeps winning, and he is always in the right place, ready to make the big save. Anticipating, and pivoting to take away as much of the net as he can. The way he makes his progressions and processes the play is near elite level, and he likes to flash the leather à la Carey Price.

Fowler’s Eagles are on a four-game winning streak, and Fowler has maintained an impressive .931 save percentage and a steady 1.98 goals against average. Fowler never seems phased by anything, and he has been a bright spot in the lineup.

With Gabe Perreault, Will Smith, Ryan Leonard and Cutter Gauthier running the offense, and Aidan Hreschuk, Charlie Leddy and Eamon Powell on the blueline. The Eagles look to be a power house, and Fowler has been the backbone of it all.