Canadiens Prospects: Discussing Fowler’s Potential Contract

One of the top Montreal Canadiens prospects is expected to sign with the franchise in the near future.

Goaltending Reinforcements

All eyes are on Jacob Fowler, the Boston College goaltender who has put together two very encouraging seasons in the NCAA.

Fowler maintained a 57-13-3 record in 74 games with the Eagles, not to mention a 1.9 goals against average, and a .932 save percentage. He’s easily among the best goaltending prospects in the entire hockey landscape, and is expected to one day play an important role for the Canadiens, as he does have starter potential.

He takes a stoic approach to goaltending, focusing on tracking and positioning, rather than quick lateral transitions. He wastes very little energy, using his anticipation to eliminate most of the shooting options for opponents. He’s also a fierce competitor, and will not hesitate to protect his own crease should he feel the opposing team is taking liberties.

It remains to be seen what direction the Canadiens will take when it comes to Fowler’s contract, but he will most likely burn a year of his contract by signing his entry-level contract, rather than signing an amateur tryout with the Laval Rocket and delaying his ELC by a year, as some have suggested. By signing his entry-level contract and playing one game for the Canadiens, Fowler will no longer be eligible to play for the Rocket.

Considering the Montreal Canadiens are in the midst of a hard-fought playoff race in the NHL, Fowler’s potential arrival does add an interesting option to the mix.

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Samuel Montembeault has struggled in recent starts, and Jakub Dobes has cooled down since enjoying a great start to his NHL career. I’m not convinced this would be the best approach, but seeing as the Habs went out of their way to ‘paper’ Dobes, perhaps they will reassign him to the AHL, where he’s eligible to play in the Calder Cup playoffs, while handing the backup reins to an inexperienced Fowler.

It’s not the most cautious approach, but every single point matters, which means the Canadiens may be willing to throw the dice and bet on Fowler’s potential. He’s shown he can handle the pressure in big games, from his USHL championship with the Youngstown Phantoms, to his many tournament games in the NCAA, connoting there’s a possibility the Habs are attempting to catch lightning in a bottle in a desperate attempt to bolster their playoff odds.

With that in mind, there’s clearly a significant difference in quality between the NCAA and the NHL, and rushing goaltenders to the big show tends to backfire, whereas using the slow-cooker method, set it and forget it, tends to yield positive goaltender development results.

We also have to keep Fowler’s intentions in mind. His camp holds most of the leverage in this situation, and many college players look forward to a signing bonus the moment they leave the NCAA. The Canadiens will have their say, but in the end, Fowler is in the driver’s seat.