Pierre McGuire Compares Young Canadiens Goalie to Martin Brodeur

Jacob Fowler turned in a dominant performance against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pierre McGuire wasn't the least bit surprised. The longtime hockey analyst has been high on the Montreal Canadiens' goaltending prospect for a while now, and after watching Fowler shut down the Penguins, McGuire made a comparison that carries serious weight.

Speaking on Tony Marinaro's Sick Podcast, McGuire was asked when he first got excited about Fowler and what his expectations are for the young goalie moving forward. His answer revealed just how special he thinks Fowler can be.

Watching Fowler From the Beginning

McGuire's evaluation of Fowler didn't start recently. He's been tracking the goalie's development for years, going back to his time with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL and watching him compete in the USHL playoffs when Youngstown won the Clark Cup during Fowler's draft year.

The evaluation continued at Boston College, where McGuire watched Fowler practice and play under head coach Greg Brown. It was during that time at BC that McGuire made a bold statement to Brown about what he was seeing from the young netminder.

The Brodeur Comparison

McGuire told Brown that Fowler reminded him of someone he'd watched decades earlier, a comparison he doesn't make lightly.

"I told Coach Brown at BC, I said, look, this probably doesn't mean much to you, but I watched Martin Brodeur when he was 16 play for Montreal in the East End of Montreal, Saint Leonard," McGuire explained. Then came the statement that underscores just how highly McGuire thinks of Fowler.