Jacob Fowler gave the Canadiens something they can dream on over the weekend, and then some. The 21-year-old stopped all 30 Detroit Red Wings shots on goal for his second career shutout, and in doing so carved out a little piece of franchise history.
Since the shootout came into the league in 2005-06, no Canadiens goalie had ever pulled it off quite like Fowler did: perfect from regulation through overtime and into the shootout. Carey Price never did it.
Jose Theodore never did it. That’s the entire list, and Fowler is alone at the top of it.
It’s the kind of night that makes it easy to picture the ceiling. Montreal has a real prospect here, the type of goalie who can flash something special and leave you seeing the future in bold colors.
But that’s also where the hard part starts. The Canadiens can’t let one historic performance erase the bigger development picture, because Fowler still looks like a goalie who is not finished yet.
His season debut was a different story. He allowed three goals on 18 shots, a line that doesn’t disqualify him from big-league success, but does remind everyone that the polished version is not here every night.
Against a Nashville team that finished 20th in goals last season and has sat in the middle of the pack early this year, Fowler was perfect for more than half the game, going 8-for-8. Then Nashville found its momentum, and he finished 7-for-10 the rest of the way.
That’s the kind of outing that invites a wait-and-see approach.
The Canadiens saw Fowler at his best last season and still decided he needed more time before being ready for this level. That played into why he began this season in Laval, and an injury is what opened the door for these two starts.
None of this is a knock on him. If anything, it’s the opposite. It’s a reminder that the organization has to keep the long view in mind and protect the player as much as the team.
Think of it like a pitcher who throws one brilliant game and then follows it with a rough one. The raw stuff is there, maybe even electric, but the command still has to catch up.
With a goalie, the same idea applies. The pace is faster, the shots are harder, and the challenge is building consistency so the floor rises, not just banking on the occasional masterpiece.
Maybe the concern is overblown. Maybe the sample grows and the picture changes quickly. With Montembeault due back in a couple of weeks, there should be a better sense of where Fowler really stands.
And at 21, there’s no need to rush the verdict. He can spend another season in the development stage and still give the Canadiens exactly what they want: a young star worth waiting for.
In Other News...
Canadiens Goaltending Pressure Grows After Stunning Hellebuyck Trade Rumor
Elliotte Friedmans reporting on a potential Connor Hellebuyck blockbuster has only added another layer to the goaltending chatter around the league, and it is the kind of rumor that naturally gets attention in Montreal too. According to Friedman, the Panthers reportedly floated a hefty package to the Jets for the star netminder, a sign of just how aggressively clubs continue to chase certainty in goal even after the offseason dust starts to settle.
Florida has since steadied itself with Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid, but Winnipegs side of the equation still feels very much open-ended. Friedman said the offer was still available as of June, which keeps the story alive and keeps the pressure on teams like the Canadiens, who are watching a market where one big move can change the complexion of the conversation fast. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Tough Three-Game Week With Lineup Questions
The Canadiens are heading into a tricky three-game week with their schedule and their health both working against them. Montreal plays Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, with the first two games coming on back-to-back nights and the opener arriving on an earlier-than-usual 6:30 p.m. start before a 7:30 p.m. puck drop Wednesday and a 7 p.m. game Saturday.
At 2-2-1, the margin for error is already thin, and the lineup questions only add to the pressure on a group trying to settle in early. Florian Xhekaj, Oliver Kapanen and Mike Matheson are among the players creating uncertainty as the Canadiens try to navigate a demanding stretch without much time to reset between games. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Costly Dylan Larkin Dilemma Kent Hughes Can't Ignore
Talk around Dylan Larkin has picked up again, and the asking price only reinforces why these conversations rarely go anywhere quickly. According to reports from Michael Russo and Pierre LeBrun, the Minnesota Wild would need to part with a young prospect such as Danila Yurov or Charlie Stramel to get Detroit to even consider moving their captain, while the Wild have no appetite for including an established defender like Jonas Brodin.
For Montreal, that kind of framework matters because it hints at how steep the market would be before the Canadiens even get to the hardest part of the equation. Kent Hughes can check in, but the real obstacle may be getting Larkin's side to view Montreal as the right landing spot, and until that changes, the Canadiens are stuck watching a chase that looks expensive long before it looks realistic. [Read more 🡒]