HF Habs: Goaltending Prospects/Young Players - Who to Keep Who to Trade

[WeThreeKings]

Yeah, it's totally outside of the norm. Goalies take a long time to develop. That's why I thought it was an interesting take. Whatever the norm is is irrelevant when discussing an individual. It's not the norm for a 2nd round pick to jump into the NHL the fall after they were drafted. But that doesn't mean Patrice Bergeron wasn't ready to.

It doesn't but it certainly isn't the case with Fowler.

- Was unable to beat out Augustine for the net in the WJC.
- His numbers are great for a rookie goalie in the NCAA, but so were Dobes' and he needed more time. So were Miller's etc.
- He still has games where he is giving up goals late or more than expected. Look at his last playoff game, he let in 4 and they were up very early and he let the other team back into the game.

Goalies need time and he needs time. Pierre is high on Fowler which is great but there's still a lot more up and downs he needs at that level before he comes over. 1 and done for a goalie in the NCAA just doesn't happen.

 

[morhilane]

Pierre McGuire thinks we should bring Jacob Fowler to Laval next year and have him play 60 games. Says he's ready and doesn't have much to learn in the NCAA. Interesting take.

McGuire is like the guy you to not listen to when he talks about prospects.

 

[Wateredgarden]

It's a bad take, even top prospects like Askarov and Wallstedt needed more seasoning than that.

His take is that he will play more games out of the NCAA, he needs to get more playing time before he's ready for the NHL. Gorton kind of agreed. But Fowler might not play so much more games as he still needs to beat Dobes.

 

[WeThreeKings]

His take is that he will play more games out of the NCAA, he needs to get more playing time before he's ready for the NHL. Gorton kind of agreed. But Fowler might not play so much more games as he still needs to beat Dobes.

It would create an unnecessary log-jam and puts us at a risk of having to play Dobes in the NHL next year with any injury.

Next year it will be:

Monty
Primeau

Dobes
Vet #3 backing up in Laval with call ups to MTL if injury.

Following year it will be:

Monty
Primeau

Dobes
Fowler

ECHL: Quentin Miller

Then
Monty or Primeau
Dobes

Fowler
Quentin Miller

After that will be decision point cause Volokhin will come over, and Fowler will be ready for NHL duties. Will depend on how Dobes develops.

 

[teamfirst]

It doesn't but it certainly isn't the case with Fowler.

- Was unable to beat out Augustine for the net in the WJC.
- His numbers are great for a rookie goalie in the NCAA, but so were Dobes' and he needed more time. So were Miller's etc.
- He still has games where he is giving up goals late or more than expected. Look at his last playoff game, he let in 4 and they were up very early and he let the other team back into the game.

Goalies need time and he needs time. Pierre is high on Fowler which is great but there's still a lot more up and downs he needs at that level before he comes over. 1 and done for a goalie in the NCAA just doesn't happen.

Goalies drafted from Canadian juniors leagues have to come and play in the AHL or CHL at D+2 dont they, why is it so different for college goalies , if a guy like Fowler really wish to start his pro carreer earlier why not, same thing for the Russian kid

 

[WeThreeKings]

Goalies drafted from Canadian juniors leagues have to come and play in the AHL or CHL at D+2 dont they, why is it so different for college goalies , if a guy like Fowler really wish to start his pro carreer earlier why not, same thing for the Russian kid

You don't see CHL goalies do it because they can't, the last goalie to really bypass the AHL was Carey Price. Probably the best goaltending prospect to ever go into the draft.

Goalies take a long time to develop, Fowler isn't ready, that's the one part and if he was ready - they could do it but you don't see it because they aren't ready.

It's also a position that is so mental and reliant on confidence that you can destroy a goalie very quickly if you progress him too early. Detroit had to take a step back with Cossa to try to salvage him, for example and he was older than Fowler at the time, too.

I'd actually be curious to see how many 19 year old goalies ever played in the AHL.

 

[Rapala]

You don't see CHL goalies do it because they can't, the last goalie to really bypass the AHL was Carey Price. Probably the best goaltending prospect to ever go into the draft.

Goalies take a long time to develop, Fowler isn't ready, that's the one part and if he was ready - they could do it but you don't see it because they aren't ready.

It's also a position that is so mental and reliant on confidence that you can destroy a goalie very quickly if you progress him too early. Detroit had to take a step back with Cossa to try to salvage him, for example and he was older than Fowler at the time, too.

I'd actually be curious to see how many 19 year old goalies ever played in the AHL.

You'd probably have a good idea by looking at the youngest goalies in NHL history. Not many made a direct jump right.
Some 20 or so 19 year olds played in the NHL and a whole slew of 20 year olds. There may be more than one would think.

 

[teamfirst]

It would create an unnecessary log-jam and puts us at a risk of having to play Dobes in the NHL next year with any injury.

Next year it will be:

Monty
Primeau

Dobes
Vet #3 backing up in Laval with call ups to MTL if injury.

Following year it will be:

Monty
Primeau

Dobes
Fowler

ECHL: Quentin Miller

Then
Monty or Primeau
Dobes

Fowler
Quentin Miller

After that will be decision point cause Volokhin will come over, and Fowler will be ready for NHL duties. Will depend on how Dobes develops.

That means Miller would play in the Q as a 20 years old, it's possible but teams have only 3 spots for 20 years old available and tend to use it with forward

You don't see CHL goalies do it because they can't, the last goalie to really bypass the AHL was Carey Price. Probably the best goaltending prospect to ever go into the draft.

Goalies take a long time to develop, Fowler isn't ready, that's the one part and if he was ready - they could do it but you don't see it because they aren't ready.

It's also a position that is so mental and reliant on confidence that you can destroy a goalie very quickly if you progress him too early. Detroit had to take a step back with Cossa to try to salvage him, for example and he was older than Fowler at the time, too.

I'd actually be curious to see how many 19 year old goalies ever played in the AHL.

I know goaltender takes longer to devlopp but my point is if the goalies fro the Canadian junior teams can do it the college kid could do it too

 

[teamfirst]

You don't see CHL goalies do it because they can't, the last goalie to really bypass the AHL

I'm not talking about bypassing the AHL, i'm saying the goalies from juniors teams have to play pro (AHL or CHL) their D+2 seasons

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'm not talking about bypassing the AHL, i'm saying the goalies from juniors teams have to play pro (AHL or CHL) their D+2 seasons

Most CHL goalies get two years after their draft year before turning to the AHL. So Fowler getting another year in the NCAA, which most, if not all goalie prospects do, would be in line with that same timeline.

 

[le_sean]

Getting Fowler was such a great move by the scouting department. The goalie rankings were all over the place last draft with no true standout. He’s been far better than Gajan and Bjarnason.

 

[HabzSauce]

Primeau has really impressed me this year. Both him and montembeault trying to earn a name for themselves. Next year with both playing 50/50 will be fun I think primeau is finally starting to adjust to NHL pace and he's looking more and more confident. Reading plays very well

Hope he takes his game up a notch next season now that he's built some confidence. Potential to be a very good goalie for the immediate and long term team. Would take some pressure off needing one of fowler/dobes/volohkin to be a stud

 

[KevSkillz4]

Montembeault, Primeau, Fowler, Dobes, Volokhin... that's a really good depth in G system for Habs.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

I'm happy Primeau is doing well at the NHL level. I have been one of his bigger supporters here. He was so good at times in the AHL, especially that playoff run where he looked like Price in nets... He just needed to transpose it at the NHL level, which took a little time.

A few bad starts in hockey can ruin a career. I was starting to worry Primeau would run out of time in this organization, but I never ran out of faith in him as a player.

I look forward to the Monty/Primeau tandem next year. I think they can really push each other.