Jakub Dobes has been garnering all the attention from Montreal Canadiens fans and media. Rightfully so, Dobes was arguably the best goalie in the NHL during the second half of the season and carried that momentum into the playoffs. The Canadiens rewarded Dobes for his play, signing him to a three-year, $16.07 million contract extension. However, he is not the only Canadiens goalie who looks like a future star, according to The Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis. In Ellis’ yearly NHL-affiliated goalie prospects ranking, Canadiens’ prospect Jacob Fowler ranked No. 1 in this year's edition. Since Fowler signed his entry-level contract, he has received comparisons to former Canadiens greats, but Ellis takes it one step further.
Jacob Fowler is breaking the mould for young goaltenders
Goalies are notoriously difficult to draft. So many of the league’s best were not first-round picks. Connor Hellebuyck was a fifth-round pick. Igor Shesterkin was a fourth-round pick. Ilya Sorokin was a third-round pick. Goalies take a bit longer to develop and get accustomed to the NHL game. Fowler himself was a third-round pick, but at just 21, he made his NHL debut less than a year after finishing his dominant collegiate career. This is one of the many reasons why Ellis moved Fowler up from second to first in this year’s rankings. “Goalies typically develop much slower than regular skaters – but don’t tell Fowler that,” said Ellis. Fowler, who has played just 17 NHL games, has showcased maturity beyond his years, rarely looking flustered in the crease. Fowler’s style of play has Ellis comparing him to the most recent Canadiens player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Carey Price.
"“This feels a little like watching a young Carey Price break through the noise as a youngster – Fowler is easily the most skilled Canadiens goalie prospect they’ve had in close to 20 years.”"Steven Ellis
Fowler makes everything he does look effortless. He has strong positioning, makes quick reads, and sees the puck exceptionally well despite not being the tallest goalie, listed at 6’1”. This is not the first time Fowler has been compared to Price, with former Canadiens goalie coach Stephane Waite saying “He reminds me of Carey Price, who was never too high, never too low, in control, and that's exactly Jacob Fowler.” Fowler has received nothing but glowing praise since entering the Canadiens organization and has backed it up every step of the way, but still has a lot more to prove before he can take over the reins from Dobes. Dobes will start the season as the Canadiens starter, but Fowler’s talent is undeniable.
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