Jacob Fowler is wasting no time making the 2023 NHL Draft look upside-down.
Taken sixth among goalies, behind five other netminders, the Montreal Canadiens prospect is already acting like the best one in the class. Through seven games, Fowler has posted a .942 save percentage, added two shutouts, and turned in a 46-save performance last night in St. Louis.
That kind of start has the Canadiens looking like they may have landed their No. 1 goalie for years to come. With Montreal sitting at 7-3-2, Fowler is emerging as a major bargain for a team that appears to have found real value where others passed.
The gap between Fowler and the five goalies taken before him is hard to ignore. None of them has made an impact in the NHL yet, and the contrast only makes Montreal’s pick look sharper.
Scout Billy Ryan had pushed hard in a meeting before the 2023 draft for the Canadiens to take Fowler, and that call is paying off. Fowler is now taking over the starting role.
There is still plenty of runway ahead, and seven games do not define a career. But the early evidence is loud, and it all points the same way: the Canadiens may have found one of the biggest steals of the 2023 NHL Draft.
That becomes even more appealing when you factor in the numbers. Fowler carries a $945,833 cap hit, giving Montreal plenty of flexibility with a goalie performing at this level.
The five goalies drafted ahead of him still have work to do. Fowler has already moved past them.
In Other News...
Canadiens Goalie Situation Is Putting New Pressure On Kent Hughes
Jakub Dobes new three-year contract was supposed to provide some stability in a crease that has already demanded plenty of attention, but the early months have only sharpened the questions around Montreals goaltending plan. The Canadiens are juggling three netminders right now, with Samuel Montembeault expected back soon and Jake Allen still part of the picture, which leaves the front office trying to sort out roles while the season is already moving.
For Kent Hughes, the challenge is bigger than just getting through the next stretch of games. The organization has invested in Dobes as part of its longer-term solution, yet the early results have made the situation harder to read and put more pressure on how the Canadiens manage the position from here. With Montembeault nearing a return, the next decision point in goal could become one of the more important ones on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets May Have A Bigger Voronkov Decision Than Fans Realize
Dmitri Voronkovs early-season slide in Columbus has quickly turned him from a player the Blue Jackets hoped to lean on into one who is suddenly at the center of trade chatter. The 26-year-old winger still has the kind of size, physical edge and scoring touch that tends to draw interest around the league, which is why clubs such as Montreal, Edmonton, Vegas, Utah and Tampa Bay have all been floated as possible landing spots.
For the Canadiens, the appeal is obvious: Voronkov fits the profile of a big-bodied forward who could add a different look to the group if Columbus decides to move him. The question is whether the Blue Jackets will simply listen, or whether they are ready to make a real decision on a player whose value still comes from what he can be, not just what he has done so far this season. [Read more 🡒]
Zachary Bolduc Is Making This Canadiens Trade Look Very Different
Zachary Bolduc has already given Montreal plenty to like since arriving in the trade with St. Louis, and his latest performance only added to the early buzz. Against the Blues, the winger found the net in a 2-0 Canadiens win, another sign that his start in Montreal has been far more than a small-sample fluke. Through 12 games, he has piled up five goals and two assists, a strong opening stretch for a player the Canadiens are counting on to bring offense and energy.
For now, the other side of the deal is harder to evaluate, which is what keeps this trade from being neatly judged just yet. Logan Mailloux was sent to St. Louis, but his path to making an immediate impact has been interrupted, leaving Montreal with a very different-looking return in the short term. Bolduc is helping the Canadiens right away, while the fuller picture of what the trade becomes still has some time to develop. [Read more 🡒]