Fowler And Primeau Goaltender Debate Re-Ignited In Laval

Montreal Canadiens prospect Jacob Fowler has all the tools necessary to one day ascend to the NHL.

You could argue that he’s well ahead of schedule, especially since he only spent two seasons in the NCAA playing for the Boston College Eagles. And while he was a dominant presence during his time playing college hockey, it’s also fair to say it wasn’t the busiest assignment in the NCAA.

Consequently, gaining as much experience as possible in the AHL is in order for the 20-year-old goaltender.

Why Pascal Vincent Trusts Primeau

Fowler has featured in a handful of games in the AHL for the Laval Rocket, with half of them coming in the form of playoff starts. As per tradition, he has been excellent, a statement confirmed by taking a quick look at his playoff statistics, revealing a perfect 3-0 record, as well as a fantastic .953 save percentage.

However, Fowler was not designated as Laval’s starter for the always important first game of their third-round series versus the Rochester Americans.

That may come as a surprise to those who haven’t had a chance to follow the Rocket closely this season, however, there was a heavy dose of logic applied to head coach Pascal Vincent’s decision.

Seeing as Cayden Primeau produced some of the best numbers in the league this season, to the tune of a 21-2-3-2 record, not to mention a great .923 save percentage, Vincent sees him as the team’s starter.

After all, Primeau didn’t just help them earn a playoff spot, his excellence allowed the Rocket to finish the year as the top team in the league, while also establishing the best regular-season record in franchise history.

Because Primeau helped them secure the top spot in the AHL, the Rocket received a bye into the second round. That meant that Primeau was available to be recalled to the Canadiens when Samuel Montembeault was injured during the NHL playoffs, which, in turn, gave Fowler an opportunity to start a few games in the playoffs.

Simply put, through no fault of his own, Primeau lost his starter position after putting together a bounce-back season for the ages.

The entire situation epitomizes the harsh realities of professional sports.

Sometimes you can do everything you’re asked, and still get the short end of the stick. Or in this case, the short end of the goalie stick.

Fowler Versus Primeau In The Playoffs

Primeau allowed four goals on 27 shots against the Americans on Wednesday night, which was just enough to secure an important 5-4 win for the Rocket.

It wasn’t a particularly bad game for Primeau.

The fourth goal he allowed was rather weak, but Laval’s incredible depth allowed them to quickly re-establish a lead a few minutes later when Oliver Kapanen scored his first goal in North America.

Oliver Kapanen tips the Mailloux point shot, Laval is back up! 5-4. #LavalRocket

Kapanen’s first goal in the AHL. pic.twitter.com/WTXncNo89u

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) May 15, 2025

I certainly empathize with both Primeau and Vincent, but at this point in the playoffs, there’s very little margin for error, and we can’t ignore the significant discrepancy in stats between both goaltenders.

Primeau currently has an .865 save percentage, which is miles below Fowler’s .953.

Then there’s the matter of development.

Fowler is designated as the heir apparent for the Canadiens, whereas Primeau’s contract expires this summer.

All things considered, Vincent did good by his regular-season starter when he sidelined Fowler to give Primeau a pair of starts. He can rest easy knowing he attempted to re-open the door after the unfortunate set of circumstances led to Primeau’s promotion to the NHL just as the AHL playoffs were set to get underway.

However, we’re reaching the point of diminishing returns when it comes to the value of loyalty versus the importance of winning, giving us all the evidence necessary to suggest Fowler should be the Laval Rocket’s starter from this point on.

All Montreal Canadiens prospect statistics via The AHL.