Corey Pronman’s latest NHL pipeline rankings put the Montreal Canadiens third overall, behind only the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, and his breakdown of Montreal’s prospect group included one line that stands out above the rest: Jacob Fowler “projects as a quality backup goalie.”
That verdict may surprise anyone who has watched Fowler’s rise over the last few seasons. The 21-year-old has long been viewed as the Canadiens’ goalie of the future, but there’s also a very real present in Montreal now, and Jakub Dobes has made sure of that. Dobes’ playoff run changed the conversation, and his strong rookie season was enough for the Canadiens to lock him up on a three-year extension carrying a $5,357,575 cap hit and a modified no-trade clause for the final two seasons, when he can submit a seven-team no-trade list.
The contract says plenty about the organization’s belief in Dobes, but it also shows why Montreal didn’t need to rush into a longer commitment. Fowler remains part of the picture, and a big part at that.
The 6-foot-1, 223-pound goalie went to the Canadiens in the third round of the 2023 draft with the 69th overall pick, and he’s done little but impress since. At Boston College, he posted a 2.14 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage and a 32-6-1 record with seven shutouts in his first NCAA season, then followed that with a 1.63 GAA, a .940 SV and seven shutouts while going 25-7-2 in his second year.
Last season, Fowler moved to the Laval Rocket and kept rolling, finishing 19-7-1 with a 2.23 GAA, a .916 SV and three shutouts. When Samuel Montembeault struggled, Fowler also got an extended look in the NHL and went 9-6-2 with a 2.43 GAA, a .908 SV and one shutout.
Pronman’s note about Fowler’s size and athleticism has some bite to it. He called him average-sized at best and said he lacks true premier athleticism for the NHL. But Fowler has already shown what he does bring: sharp positioning and a calm that doesn’t flinch when things get messy.
That was on display last season, when the Canadiens were dealing with two struggling goaltenders and Fowler was essentially thrown to the lions. Instead of looking overwhelmed, he looked composed. He handled the NHL crease with control, and he never seemed out of place.
Goalies are hard to pin down, and prospect projections in net can go sideways fast. Still, based on what Fowler has already shown, it’s hard to see him as anything but a future starting goaltender. Montreal, for now, appears to have two young goalies it can feel good about in Fowler and Dobes.
And if Kent Hughes ever decided to include Fowler in a deal for that elusive top-six forward, there would be plenty of interest. For the moment, though, Fowler looks like much more than Pronman’s backup-goalie projection.
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Canadiens Fans Are About To Get An Emotional Carey Price Moment
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The emotional homecoming arrives the next night at the Bell Centre, when Price will be honored on the ice before the Canadiens face the Minnesota Wild and his name is added to the teams Ring of Honour. For a fan base that watched him carry the franchise through years of pressure and expectation, it is the kind of tribute that should bring back plenty of memories, and likely a few tears too. [Read more 🡒]
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The challenge now is figuring out the best way to support that leap in the 2026-27 season, when his role, line placement and linemates could matter as much as his own talent. For a team trying to turn promise into contention, the Demidov decision is less about whether he fits and more about how to put him in position to become the version of himself Montreal expects next. [Read more 🡒]
Drake Batherson Situation In Ottawa Just Got Interesting For Canadiens Fans
With the calendar edging toward mid-September, Ottawas negotiations with winger Drake Batherson have taken on real urgency. He is in the final years of his current deal, and both sides are working toward an eight-year contract that would fit neatly under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement before the window closes on maximizing the term.
If the sides cannot get something done by September 15, the picture gets a lot more complicated for the Senators. Batherson is still not close enough to unrestricted free agency to force a simple wait-and-see approach, which is why a deal may have to be reached now or the situation could shift quickly into trade territory next summer. [Read more 🡒]