Acquisition of Hughes and the Canadiens: a big move was made by the organization with the goaltender Jacob Fowler
During the 2023 draft, the Montreal Canadiens had a very clear goal, which was to draft potential future goalies for the organization. In the end, management secured three goalies between the third and fifth rounds.
Of the group, Jacob Fowler, the first one drafted, seems to have significantly caught the eyes of the Canadiens' scouts.
Firstly, he has a very appealing physique at 6 feet 2 inches, in addition to being quite imposing in the net, weighing in at 223 pounds according to Eliteprospects.com. However, despite his size, he has remarkable mobility for a player of this weight.
Technically, the 18-year-old American is also very strong. His movements are very precise, he's always well-positioned for shots, and he has outstanding tenacity.
Regarding statistics, Fowler has dominated in every league he's played in. Last season in the USHL, he posted an average of 2.28 and an efficiency rate of 0.921. He was even more outstanding in the playoffs, where he was a game changer for his team, helping them win the championship with an average of 1.36 and a save rate of 0.952.
He even won the trophy for the best goaltender in the league this year, in his first full season.
In the documentary aired last night about the behind-the-scenes of the Canadiens' draft, we learned more about the young man and his selection. An organization scout, Billy Ryan, was extremely vocal about not missing out on him in this draft.
Here's even an excerpt from a lively discussion between Ryan and another scout about Fowler:
However, quite frankly, watching the CH documentary, it's clear the team landed a player with personality, mentality, and a desire to win and prove that those who overlooked him throughout his hockey journey were utterly wrong.
A bit later, he states that his goal is for every organization that didn't select him to look back and wish they had taken a chance on him. He mentions that all he's done since the beginning of his career is prove to these people that they made a mistake in not choosing him.
To me, a mindset like his, combined with his charisma and incredible athletic abilities, makes him an exceptional asset to the Montreal organization.
We are eager to follow his next season as he'll be playing at a much higher level with the Boston College team in the NCAA.
| POLL | ||
Do you believe that Jacob Fowler has the potential to become a starting goaltender in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 136 | 94.4 % |
| No | 8 | 5.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
