Rocket Head Coach Praises Canadiens Top Goalie Prospect

Vincent's comments should not only excite Canadiens fans, but reaffirm the belief across the fanbase that Fowler is going to be a huge part of the future between the pipes for the Canadiens. There hasn't been a goaltender named captain of a team since Roberto Luongo donned the 'C' for the Vancouver Canucks, an announcement the team made on September 30, 2008.

Luongo was the captain for close to two seasons, deciding to step down as the club's captain on September 13, 2010. Luongo cited wanting to focus solely on playing his position to the best of his ability without having the distraction of leading and mentoring the team and young up-and-coming players.

Back to Fowler, however, who likely isn't going to have the captaincy over Nick Suzuki, when he eventually arrives at the NHL level, and like Luongo with the Canucks, Fowler's sole focus is on perfecting his game; in preparation for an eventual shot with the Canadiens, but also in hopes of bringing a Calder Cup Championship to Laval.

Fowler was a dominant goaltender in the NCAA ranks, posting a career record of 57-13-3, along with a fantastic 1.90 goals against average and a very respectable .932 save percentage. Before he was drafted, during pre-draft meetings, Fowler had developed a chip on his shoulder after being passed over by the CHL and USHL during his draft year and was vocal with Canadiens management about that.

His willingness to not only welcome but full-on embrace pressure came through in the NCAA, and then translated to the AHL with the Rocket. It speaks highly to his maturity and skills, the fact that he played during the playoffs for Laval and didn't look out of place.

While he won't likely ever be a captain, the confidence that the Canadiens players and coaches will have with a player of his calibre in the net is immense, and should only benefit the Canadiens when the times get tough. A captain-like impact from a goaltender is sure to help the organization massively.