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Jacob Fowler Is Making the Canadiens’ Goaltending Decisions More Complicated
The Montreal Canadiens entered the 2026-27 season with some interesting questions surrounding their goaltending situation. With Jakub Dobes expected to carry a significant portion of the workload and Samuel Montembeault looking to bounce back from a difficult campaign, the organization appeared to have a relatively clear plan in place. However, Montembeault’s recent injury opened the door for Jacob Fowler, and the young netminder has wasted little time making his presence felt. With three impressive performances since being recalled, Fowler is giving the Canadiens a legitimate reason to reconsider their plans moving forward. While having multiple capable goaltenders is certainly a good problem to have, Montreal could soon face a difficult decision when Montembeault returns to action. Fowler Making the Most of His Opportunity When Montembeault went down with a lower-body injury, the Canadiens recalled Fowler who was given the opportunity to play, and so far, he has delivered. Since being recalled, the 21-year-old has appeared in all three of Montreal’s games, winning two of those matchups while posting a solid 1.91 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Those numbers are encouraging, particularly considering the Canadiens’ defensive struggles to begin the season. Montreal has had difficulties limiting dangerous scoring opportunities, making Fowler’s performances even more impressive. Perhaps his most memorable performance came Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Fowler was outstanding, recording a shutout through regulation and overtime before denying every Detroit attempt in the shootout to secure the victory. It was the kind of performance that demonstrates why the organization has been so excited about his potential. Beyond the statistics, Fowler has looked composed and confident in his crease. He has shown an ability to make timely saves, remain calm under pressure, and give his teammates confidence when things become difficult defensively. For a young goaltender still establishing himself at the NHL level, these are extremely encouraging signs. Of course, three games represent a relatively small sample size, and it would be premature to declare Fowler the Canadiens’ long-term solution based solely on this stretch. However, he is certainly making a strong argument that he belongs in the NHL. What Happens When Montembeault Returns? While Fowler’s performances have been encouraging, they also create an interesting dilemma for the Canadiens’ management. Montembeault remains sidelined with an injury, but when he eventually returns, the organization will need to determine how to handle its three goaltenders. At this point, Fowler has done everything asked of him. He has stepped into a difficult situation, delivered quality performances, and helped Montreal secure important victories. Based on his recent play, it would be difficult to argue that he does not deserve to remain with the Canadiens. However, deserving an NHL roster spot and having a clear path to consistent playing time are two different things. Carrying three goaltenders is rarely an ideal long-term solution, particularly when one of them is a young prospect who needs regular starts to continue developing. With Jakub Dobes also part of Montreal’s future plans, keeping Fowler in the NHL could potentially mean limiting his opportunities to play. That raises an important question: Would the Canadiens be better off keeping Fowler in Montreal, even if it means fewer starts, or sending him back to the Laval Rocket, where he could continue playing regularly? There is a legitimate argument for both options. On one hand, Fowler has demonstrated that he can compete at the NHL level. Allowing him to continue gaining experience against the world’s best players could accelerate his development and help prepare him for a larger role. On the other hand, having him spend significant time on the bench would accomplish very little. At his age, playing consistently remains an important part of his development.…
