Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL
Wednesday, Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher was quoted in an interview where he was asked about Fowler, seen as the “savior” in the Montreal net.
Gallagher responded by bringing everyone back to Carey Price, reminding them how dominant he was, but especially how difficult his first years in the NHL actually were.
“One thing I can say to that for fans is to understand how good Carey Price was, how many great years he had, and understand how tough it was at the start for him.”
– Brendan Gallagher, via Patrick Friolet
Jacob Fowler, 21, has nevertheless been on fire for two seasons. At Boston College in the NCAA, he recorded a 25-win, 7-loss, 2-tie season with a goals-against average of 1.63 and a save percentage of 0.940 in 2024-2025, along with seven shutouts. The Canadiens prospect also made noise in Laval, where he continued his momentum in the AHL.
While fans are already dreaming of a new great No. 31, Gallagher reminds them that Carey Price took time before becoming a club legend.
Over his NHL career, Price played 712 games with the Canadiens, earning 361 wins, a 2.51 goals-against average, and a .917 save percentage-numbers that place him among the best goaltenders in the organization’s history. At the beginning, however, Price faced tougher seasons, lost playing time to Jaroslav Halak, and even endured mockery from the Bell Centre crowd.
It is precisely this roller-coaster path that Gallagher wants fans to remember before placing the entire weight of the city on the shoulders of a young goaltender who has not yet played a full season in Montreal.
Brendan Gallagher protects Jacob Fowler
At 33, with a $6.5 million-per-season contract through 2027, Gallagher knows better than anyone the particular pressure that comes with the Canadiens jersey. He spent his career in Montreal alongside Price and saw firsthand how the latter went from a criticized young goalie to the team’s leader in wins and minutes played.
While Samuel Montembeault currently holds the No. 1 goaltender title, recent fan polls show that Fowler is already seen as a serious medium-term candidate for the role, earning nearly 27 percent of the votes in a question about the goalie of the future. In a market like Montreal, enthusiasm rises quickly-sometimes faster than the development of young players.
Gallagher’s message is therefore simple: enjoy Jacob Fowler’s meteoric rise, savor his impressive statistics, but remember that even Carey Price did not become Carey Price in a single season.
Previously on All Montreal Hockey
POLL
DECEMBRE 10 | 410 ANSWERS
Brendan Gallagher issues a reality check to Canadiens fans about Jacob Fowler
Can Jacob Fowler really succeed Carey Price?
