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Jacob Fowler is forcing the Canadiens' hand as a goaltending decision looms
Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
At the Christmas break, the Canadiens have a rare luxury in having too many quality goaltenders within their lineup, and Kent Hughes will have to make a decision.
Tuesday in Boston, the CH closed the book before heading home, with a solid 6-2 win over the Bruins. Jacob Fowler turned aside 26 shots, and once again gave the impression that he is not in Montreal "by accident."
What makes this situation so pressing is the contrast. Fowler has only five career NHL games, but his sample size is starting to carry real weight.
His shutout against the Penguins on Saturday was a true turning point. Thirty-one shots stopped, zero goals allowed, and a Bell Centre crowd fully bought in.
Two nights later, he followed that up in an emotional game in Boston, the final matchup before the Christmas break, without looking intimidated by the circumstances.
A Montreal Canadiens goaltender will have to return to the Laval Rocket, but after last night, Pascal Vincent's group can clearly forget about Jacob Fowler
Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes is carrying the heaviest workload of the trio. After 20 games, he has 12 wins, a 2.90 goals-against average, and a .894 save percentage.
Samuel Montembeault, meanwhile, has played 15 games, with a 3.65 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage, in a season where nothing has been simple.
And that's where things get complicated.
Montembeault is under contract through the end of 2026-2027, with an average annual salary of $3.15M. Dobes has also just signed a two-year contract. So keeping Fowler in Montreal does not automatically solve the "three-way logjam": it simply makes it more urgent.
Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis have a good problem, but a real one. When the team returns from the holidays, every start in net will become a message, both to the locker room and to the goaltenders.
".929 save percentage for Fowler tonight.
If he doesn't come up big in the first period, there might not even be a game.
Record after five games:
3-1-1
2.41
.918
He's not making things easy at all for the Canadiens' management..."
- Martineau
If he doesn't come up big in the first period, there might not even be a game.
Record after five games:
3-1-1
2.41
.918
He's not making things easy at all for the Canadiens' management..."
- Martineau
That said, it also seems obvious to me that Jacob Fowler has to stay in Montreal.
And you, what is your opinion on this situation?
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DECEMBRE 24 | 1669 ANSWERS Jacob Fowler is forcing the Canadiens' hand as a goaltending decision looms Who should stay in Montreal after the Christmas break? | ||