The Montreal Canadiens clearly identified goaltending as a need to be addressed in the 2023 NHL Draft.
They made nine selections in that draft class and three of them were goaltenders. Teams often pick a goaltender at the NHL Draft, and sometimes they take two in the same year. It is rare to see teams pick three, but the Canadiens needed to load up the cupboards, and seem to have done just that.
The first goalie they selected was Jacob Fowler who was playing for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. He helped them win a championship with his strong play and headed to Boston College this season for his freshman campaign.
He has taken on the starter's role from game one of his college career and played just about every minute for Boston College this season. He also represented the United States at the World Juniors where he played two games but served as the backup to Trey Augustine as USA won a gold medal.
Fowler has played well all year, and has helped the Boston College Eagles reach the #1 ranking in college hockey this season. He did so emphatically as he entered last weekend on the #2 ranked team but beat Boston University, who had been ranked #1 on consecutive nights to take over the top spot in NCAA rankings.
Fowler stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced on Friday night as he led the Eagles to a 4-1 win over the high powered offense of Boston University which included two empty net goals to seal the win. He would show up to play again on Saturday, pushing aside 32 of 35 shots and helping Boston College sweep their rivals with a 4-3 victory.
Leonard, Fowler recognized with Hockey East weekly awards after Eagles' standout weekend.
— BC Men's Hockey (@BC_MHockey) January 29, 2024
📝 https://t.co/H2mkiOcBS1 pic.twitter.com/LCpQEqunOl
Fowler was outstanding against college hockey's toughest competition on the weekend. He was named the Hockey East Goaltender of the Week for his strong showing. It should come as no surprise he was able to post a 2.00 GAA and a .935 SV% as he has been posting great numbers all year long.
On the season, Fowler now has a 18-4-1 record with a 2.25 GAA and a .924 SV% in 23 games played. His team is at the top of college hockey with just a few weeks to go before playoffs begin. It has been an exceptional season for the Canadiens prospect