After making a pick at fifth overall and trading their next two picks, the Montreal Canadiens finally made another selection and chose Jacob Fowler, a goaltender from Youngstown in the USHL.
Birthplace: Melbourne, Florida
Date of birth: November 24, 2004
Catches: Left
Position: Goalie
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 223 lbs
Team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Fowler was ranked 71st in our consensus rankings, and was taken after a run of goaltenders in the second round. Fowler was ranked as high as 46th by Hockey Prospect and 45th by McKeen’s.
Fowler’s playoff run in the USHL was one that scouts raved about. He was 8-1 in nine playoff games with a 1.36 goals against average and a .952 save percentage. His team won the championship and he took home playoff MVP. He has also won a World Junior A Challenge, where he went undefeated.
He had a fan in Elite Prospects goaltending scout Gregory Balloch.
Jacob Fowler at pick 69 as the 6th goalie off the board is incredible for the #Habs. They get one of the elite goaltending talents available super late in the initial goalie run.
— Gregory Balloch (@GregBalloch) June 29, 2023
Fowler doesn’t have one skill that sticks out above the rest. He is simply a solid all around goaltender who many put in the same category as some of the draft’s top goalies like Trey Augustine, Michael Hrabal, and Adam Gajan. He’s not as athletic as those goalies, but has the ability to be fundamentally sound. His rebound control is definitely a strength and he rarely gives up second chances. He’s a butterfly goaltender who rarely gets beat down low.
His big game ability shutting down and stealing games for Youngstown did not go unnoticed and he has won in most places he has played. His puck handling is seen as an asset in his game as well.
While he isn’t athletic, his lateral movement is very strong and something that you notice when watching him. He’s very strong and he also has confidence in his positioning. As he isn’t as athletic as some of his peers, his technique has to be solid for him to have success, and it is.
Scouts have mentioned conditioning issues, but also that his physical strength is an important part of his game. It doesn’t seem like it is something that would affect his outlook.
Fowler’s aunt lives in Montreal and he has a lot of family in Quebec as well. He’s played tournaments in Montreal and Quebec, including the pee-wee tournament in Quebec City.
“To go to the Montreal Canadiens, I don’t think I could have written the script any better,” he said to the media after being selected.
He compares himself to Cam Talbot, Jake Oettinger, and Craig Anderson. He says his game isn’t flashy but he just stops the puck.
He is committed to Boston College where he will play as of next season. He’s definitely a work in progress, and his ability to play NCAA hockey will be great for his development. Boston College, notably, is a school with a good goaltending lineage and it will be interesting to see how Fowler’s game develops at the school.
Goaltending is a bit of a hole in the organization right now, and the Canadiens have tried to address it in the 2023 Draft. Fowler’s selection was all about getting one of the draft’s top at that position and they didn’t have to move up in order to do so.
