Jacob Fowler makes feelings known about Canadiens' playoff ahead of making his Bell Centre debut

Jacob Fowler signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens in April. He made his first appearance at the Bell Centre wearing the Habs jersey in the Prospect Showdown against the Winnipeg Jets.

Before his showdown debut, Fowler talked about Montreal’s playoff run on Saturday. The Canadiens returned to the postseason for the first time since 2021, qualifying as the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. They were eliminated in the first round by the Washington Capitals, losing the series in five games.

Even though it was a short run, Fowler was in the stands and experienced the crowd firsthand.

“I got to go to a couple of the playoff games there and you don’t really get words to describe it,” Fowler told The Gazette.

He said his own debut at the Bell Centre will be something he will never forget, no matter if it is a preseason or regular-season game.

“You want to soak it all up," Fowler said. "When I get there, it’s going to be a couple of looks around and really soak it all in because, whether it’s a real game or not, I think the first time you ever get to be in that building with people in it, it’s something you’ll never forget.”

In Saturday's game, the Canadiens fell 4-3 to the Jets, but Jacob Fowler started strong and did not allow a goal before being replaced by Mikus Vecvanags. The Canadiens controlled much of the play but could not finish their chances. The Bell Centre crowd gave strong support during the game.

For Fowler, being drafted by the Canadiens in 2023 was already a surreal moment. He has also signed a one-year deal with Laval of the AHL for the rest of this season, giving him a chance to adjust before stepping into the NHL.

Jacob Fowler grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan

In his statement following the April signing, Jacob Fowler mentioned that he grew up a Canadiens fan.

"It’s not really a secret, I’ve grown up a Habs (Canadiens) fan, with a lot of family being up here," Fowler said. "It’s kind of a blessing. You wanna play where hockey means the most & I wouldn’t want it any different."

The 6-foot-2 goalie played 35 games with Boston College in 2024-25, finishing with a 25-7-2 record, a .940 save percentage and a 1.63 goals-against average. Fowler also helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 World Junior Championship.

Wayne Gretzky’s wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama

Edited by Krutik Jain