When I first wrote about Jacob Fowler, it was the day after he was passed over in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft. The entire conversation was upbeat. He knew his future would be secure one way or another and this was the Montreal Canadiens' good fortune. He was already committed to Boston College and it was just announced that Fowler was named the 2024-25 Hockey East Goaltender of the Year for the second straight season. 

Considering he plays against tough competition, His numbers were gaudy. His record was 25-5-2. His goals against average was a microscopic 1.62. His save percentage was next leave at .941 and he had seven shutouts. He did it all and now he will have a chance at a national championship.

I wrote about the Canadiens goaltending woes the other day and this shouldn’t impact Fowler initially. His development shouldn’t be rushed because the team has an issue there. If you want him to be a true #1, you wait until he is ready. The first step is to see if he stays in school or comes out at the end of the season. There are reasons he might do both. That’s for sure. 

Fowler has an advisor or advisors that help guide him beyond what the Canadiens provide. He’s a smart, driven athlete who will make the best decision for him. That’s not to say that he’s not a team guy, he’s a BC team guy first and if he feels they have unfinished business because they didn’t win a championship then he might go back. There’s time for that but for now, fans can celebrate that they have the rights to the best goalie in college hockey.