© Pierre Bourgault/Club de hockey Canadien inc.

BROSSARD, Quebec — Jacob Fowler is as excited about his potential to one day play for the Montreal Canadiens as they are to have him as their top goalie prospect.

“The mere thought of it gives you goosebumps,” the 19-year-old shared at the Canadiens development camp in July, “so I attempt to not dwell on it too much, but rather return to school and focus on my responsibilities there.”

Fowler, who was picked in the third round (No. 69) of the 2023 NHL Draft, will be going back to Boston College for his second year. He had an outstanding freshman year, recording a 32-6-1 statistic with a 2.14 goals-against-average, a .926 save percentage, and three shutouts. This performance broke the NCAA record for the most wins by a player in their first year.

“This kid is extremely focused, he has all the qualities you would hope for in a goalie,” said Jeff Gorton, Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Canadiens. “He’s the right size, quick, and has the right mentality. Nothing seems to faze him, so his job is simply to continue playing.

The Montreal Canadiens greatly benefit from him attending Boston College and participating in one of the finest programs available. He competes every evening against highly competitive opponents.

Fowler was honored as the USHL Goaltender of the Year in 2022-23 with Youngstown, and nearly clinched a national title during his first collegiate season. He achieved a 32-save shutout in a 4-0 triumph over Michigan during the Frozen Four semifinal. However, he narrowly lost the final to Denver with a 2-0 score.

“Fowler stated, “You can see a noticeable calmness in my game this year if you observe my progression. As the season was ending and we were heading into the Hockey East championship and the regional finals of the Frozen Four, I felt significantly more comfortable and calm. Even when playing in the national championship, which retrospectively was the most important game of the season, I didn’t feel overwhelmed. Looking back, I couldn’t have asked for a better feeling.”

Thus, I believe for me, it’s about returning and exerting all possible efforts off the rink to prepare myself, not just for one game, but for the entire span of my career that follows.

Fowler’s performance in the development camp clearly demonstrated to the Canadiens his seriousness about taking feedback to improve his performance. He is committed to putting in the effort to achieve the positive results that both he and the team desire.

“Gorton said, ‘When we drafted him, his biggest challenge was training like a professional, particularly the nutrition aspect. However, the improvement he has shown from one year to the next in this area has been impressive.”

He’s significantly more fit and faster off the ice. Our trainers have noticed a considerable transformation in his physique from one year to the next during this year’s development camp. It’s truly remarkable. He’s willing to do everything that’s asked of him.