The Canadiens may have found a major bargain in Jacob Fowler, and a fresh NHL ranking only adds to the buzz.
Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis has the Montreal goaltender prospect sitting at No. 1 among the top 25 goaltending prospects across the NHL. For a player taken 69th overall in the third round at the 2023 NHL Draft, that kind of placement stands out.
Fowler’s name has been hovering near the top of these lists for a while now, so this isn’t exactly a surprise. Still, seeing him land at the very top is another reminder of how well Kent Hughes may have done by grabbing him where he did.
The Carey Price comparisons have been around for a few years, even though Price was a top-five pick. If Fowler ever gets anywhere near that kind of level, Montreal could be looking at one of the league’s best goaltenders.
The big word here is patience.
Prospects can get rushed into the NHL too soon, and that can work against their development. Some have even suggested that may have happened with Carey Price himself.
So the Canadiens will need to handle Fowler carefully as they map out their goaltending future. With Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes and Fowler in the mix, there are decisions coming for the organization - some in the next few weeks, others over the next few seasons.
If things go the way Montreal hopes, the endgame is Fowler taking over in net and eventually dominating in Montreal the way Price once did.
In Other News...
David Reinbacher Suddenly Has A Real Shot At Canadiens Minutes
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Kaiden Guhles summer surgery has left the Canadiens waiting on one of their established defenders, and that has turned the roster battle into a real opportunity for Reinbacher. His right-handed shot adds another layer to his case, and in a situation where every healthy option matters, that could be the detail that keeps him in the mix deep into the preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Contract Limbo With Simon Edvinsson Just Got More Uncomfortable
With Montreal looking at the center position through an immediate-help lens, Oliver Kapanen has quietly moved into the kind of conversation that can change a teams depth chart in a hurry. The Canadiens have options, but they also have questions, and the way Kapanen and Michael Hage perform as centermen could go a long way toward shaping whether the club stays patient or starts looking for a quicker fix.
That matters because Kapanen is no longer just part of the long view, even if he still fits that profile on paper. If the Canadiens decide they need to solve a more pressing roster issue, he could become the type of trade asset that brings back help right away, which is exactly why his progress is worth watching as camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Contract Squeeze As Rival Deal Changes Everything
Training camp is getting closer, and the Canadiens have a pair of contract situations hanging over the roster in Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj. Both players are still without extensions, which puts a little extra pressure on Montreals front office at a time when Kent Hughes would rather have the business side settled before the pace picks up on the ice.
Bolducs camp has reportedly been pointing to Fraser Mintens recent extension with Boston as a fresh benchmark in the talks, a sign that the market is already being used to push the conversation in a different direction. For Montreal, the timing matters just as much as the numbers, because the longer these deals linger, the more complicated camp becomes for a team trying to keep its focus on hockey instead of negotiations. [Read more 🡒]