With only two players left to discuss, we head to our annual Montreal Canadiens Top 20 Prospect Rankings, as chosen by Habs fans.
Successor Jacob Fowler took the No. 2 spot, a testament to his incredibly encouraging growth.
Note: To qualify for the project, potential candidates must be 23 years of age or younger and currently playing outside the NHL. In other words, even though Canadian players like Len Hutson, Juraj Slafkowski and Ivan Demidov are young enough to qualify by age, they have already established themselves as NHL players and are no longer considered prospects.
Previously published Montreal Canadiens prospect profile
Canadian prospects who just missed the cut
Canadiens prospects ranked 20-16
Canadiens prospects ranked 15-11
No. 10 – Towering Hayden Poupanekis
No. 9 – Truculent Florian Zekaj
No. 8 – Highly skilled LJ Mooney
No. 7 – Extraordinaire Bryce Pickford
No. 6 – Cerebral Owen Beck
No. 5 – Highly Mobile Adam Engstrom
Number 4 – Enigmatic David Rickenbacker
No. 3 – Brilliant Alexander Zarovsky
jacob fowler
2. Goaltender, Catch Left, 21, Laval Rocket (AHL), 6’2″, 214 lbs. Selected 69th overall in 2023.
From the moment Jacob Fowler took over as Boston College’s starting netminder, it was crystal clear that he had the potential to one day become a starting goaltender in the NHL.
Of course, there were some signs pointing to his excellence before the Canadiens selected him in the third round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Fowler was a key figure in the USHL, leading the Youngstown Phantoms to a Clark Cup championship, serving as the team’s Most Valuable Player due to his impressive .952 save percentage.
And yet, there was no guarantee that his play would translate to the NCAAs, as it represented a significant increase in the quality of competition.
Fowler didn’t just embrace college hockey, he quickly established himself as one of the best goaltenders in the country, posting a 25-7-2 record in his second year with the Eagles, including an impressive .940 save percentage.
She was the driving force behind the decision to convince him to sign an entry-level contract, ending his NCAA career after just two years in the league. It should be noted that Fowler was not the first Canadiens netminder to spend just two years in the NCAA. Cayden Primeau and Jacob Dobbs both made their jump to the professional ranks after playing two seasons in college hockey, a reminder that rushing goaltenders carries a certain amount of risk.
That being said, now that we have had the chance to see Fowler play in a professional league, it is safe to say that he has excelled despite his lack of experience, which means he has excelled in every league from the USHL to the NHL.
His 10-game audition with the Canadiens was not perfect, and yet, he provided the team’s best chance to win games with a .902 save percentage. This may not seem like an outstanding result, but when we consider that both Samuel Montembeault (.874) and Jacob Dobbs (.892) have struggled at times due to the increased number of high-danger chances allowed by the Habs each night, not to mention the fact that teams around the league have been scoring more goals in recent years than in previous eras, it turns out that Fowler has found himself in a tough situation. Performed commendably.
To put a fine point on his impressive results, we can also turn to the AHL, where Fowler has emerged as one of the best goaltenders in the league. He has a .915 save percentage, good for sixth overall in the league. This earned the rookie netminder a well-deserved All-Star nod, and added yet another accomplishment to his crowded cap.
Strength
Fowler is extremely boring, which is the biggest compliment one can give a young netminder. He wastes very little energy, using elite anticipation, vision and tracking to ensure he is ready before most shots.
That doesn’t mean he’s immune to being out of position sometimes, but for the most part, Fowler has shown that he can make life very difficult for opposing teams by always being ready to make a save rather than reacting to the situation at the last moment.
This eliminates the most vulnerable position for a goaltender: having to adjust his position while reacting to a shot.
Fowler is making a fluke save on Crosby in crunch time. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/oME2vlsrHY
– Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) 12 December 2025
His rebound control is well above average, which became very evident during his short stint in the NHL. Montembeault and Dobbs can both struggle when it comes to maintaining possession of the puck, while Fowler has shown a tendency to squander second-chance opportunities that will plague the Canadiens in 2025-26.
When rebounds were inevitable, Fowler did a great job of redirecting the puck into low-threat scoring areas, once again reducing scoring opportunities for opposing players.
He played every game with the same confidence and mental preparation you’d expect from a 10-year veteran, a good reminder that he has the right type of mentality to thrive in a hockey-mad market like Montreal.
weaknesses
I have closely followed Fowler’s progress since his NCAA debut, and although I believe he is one of the best goaltending prospects I have had the chance to monitor, he does have one Achilles heel.
When the puck goes down, and then quickly gets back into the slot, Fowler’s tracking, which is usually elite, suddenly becomes mediocre. The result is that he sits a little too far back in his net, giving shooters a wide open net to work with.
His lateral change can be awkward at times, but it is an aspect of his game that has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few seasons.
He’s likely to have stretches in which he looks a little overwhelmed, at least when compared to his normal NCAA standard. I would argue that this is a result of playing behind an elite Boston College team for two years, a situation that led to many wins, but a distinct lack in shot volume.
It’s also important to note that I’m looking for nits to bite at the moment.
All of his game’s issues essentially require a simple solution: more experience.
In that sense, Fowler’s biggest weakness is that he is still a rookie netminder, which is not necessarily a weakness, but a realistic assessment of his encouraging development.
What to expect from Fowler moving forward?
All things considered, Fowler clearly has what it takes to become Montreal’s starter after accumulating enough experience, but we should be wary of rushing him into the NHL, especially as the Canadiens head into the final stages of the season.
Yes, Fowler played well during his short stint with the Habs, but there’s something to be said about allowing him to develop in a slightly less pressured situation.
In other words, the AHL is the perfect league for Fowler in 2025-26.
That may not be the case next season, especially with the Habs struggling with goaltending issues, but despite his excellent numbers, the Canadiens can’t risk their long-term potential to solve a short-term issue.
He’s a great goaltending prospect, arguably the best the team has had in decades, and his time will come soon.
However, for now, he is still learning on the job.
Montreal Canadiens player statistics via Elite Prospects.
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