Jacob Fowler keeps stacking up performances that make the awards conversation harder to ignore.
On Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens goalie was sharp again on Carey Price Night, turning aside 22 of 24 shots in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild. The writers judged it worthy of the second star of the game, and it only added to a season that is starting to look special.
Through this point, Fowler owns a .925 save percentage and a 2.14 goals against average. That puts him third and sixth among NHL goalies, respectively. MoneyPuck also has him at plus-12.3 goals saved above expected, which ranks second in the league.
That kind of start gives him a real case for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. But the bigger buzz is that he is also building a Vezina case, which goes to the NHL’s best goalie.
That’s where the history gets wild. Carey Price won the Vezina and Hart Trophy together, a rare accomplishment that didn’t happen again for another decade. Fowler’s path would be even more unusual.
The last goalie to win both the Calder and Vezina in the same season was Ed Belfour in 1988-89. It has not happened since. Fowler was not even 3 years old when Belfour played his final NHL game after 17 seasons, and a player skated in the NHL without a helmet more recently.
Even winning the Calder as a goalie is a rarity now. The last one to do it was Steve Mason in 2008-09, when Fowler would not have even been in Kindergarten yet.
So yes, one award alone would already be a major accomplishment. But Fowler’s season has put him in position to chase something even bigger.
The competition, though, is real.
For the Vezina, Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild is the early name to watch. He’s tied with Fowler at a .925 save percentage, and his plus-15.9 goals saved above expected leads the NHL.
Their numbers are the best among goalies who have played at least eight games, with Linus Ullmark and Igor Shesterkin excluded because both are hurt. Jeremy Swayman is also close enough to keep the race interesting.
The Calder picture looks more favorable for Fowler. The Maple Leafs’ Gavin McKenna and the Golden Knights’ Trevor Connelly are strong rookie candidates, but neither has been as dominant relative to his position as Fowler has been in goal.
He is not running away with either award, and goalies usually do not take home the Calder anyway. But the more realistic path to history runs through the Vezina. If Fowler gets there, the Calder would follow as part of a season that would land in a very small corner of hockey history.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Bigger Concern Ahead Of Bruins Trip
Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans were both absent from Canadiens practice Wednesday, with the team classifying the missed session as maintenance following the clubs most recent game. Montreal confirmed the two forwards were not on the ice but did not offer any further detail, leaving the group to sort through a little more uncertainty as it prepares for a trip to Boston.
Suzukis status is the more notable concern because he briefly left Tuesdays game before returning and scoring Montreals only goal, while Evans had already been managing discomfort since Monday. For a team heading into a divisional matchup with the Bruins, any question about the availability of two important centers is worth watching closely, especially with no immediate update on whether either will be ready to go. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Caufield Just Sparked A Bigger Canadiens Debate Than The Loss
Cole Caufield turned a frustrating night into a larger conversation for the Canadiens after Montreals overtime loss to Minnesota, shifting the focus from the result to how NHL games are being officiated. The forward took aim at the way referees handle controversial calls, adding another layer to a game that already left the Canadiens with plenty to sort through.
What made his comments resonate was the broader point behind them: Caufield wants more accountability from officials and believes they should be able to explain what they saw instead of simply signaling a penalty and moving on. For a Canadiens team still chasing consistency, it is the kind of postgame critique that can linger well beyond one loss, especially when it taps into a league-wide debate about transparency on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Suzuki Scare Had Canadiens Fans Holding Their Breath
Nick Suzuki gave Canadiens fans a scare in the third period, leaving the game briefly before returning to the ice and settling things down in a hurry. Montreals captain has been a central part of the clubs offense all season, appearing in 12 of the teams 18 games and continuing to drive play at the top of the lineup.
The good news for Montreal is that the concern did not linger long after the final whistle, with the team indicating Suzuki is fine after his short absence. Even so, any moment like that tends to tighten the mood around a team that leans so heavily on its top center, especially when he has been one of the most important contributors to the Canadiens attack. [Read more 🡒]