With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Jacob Fowler?

Jacob Fowler Scouting Report and Profile

Position: Goaltender

Shoots: Left

Nationality: United States

Date of Birth: November 24, 2004

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 201 lbs

Fowler started as the backup behind Kyle Chauvette in 2021-22, posting a .927 save percentage and a 2.18 save percentage. He likely should have gotten more opportunities considering he was the best goaltender on the team, but seniority rules.

With that being said, the Floridian goaltender led the Youngstown Phantoms to their first United States Hockey League title in 2022-23. He had a fantastic .912 save percentage and 2.28 goals against average in 40 games while also adding four assists for whatever reason. Both the goals against average and save percentage were tops in the league.

However, Fowler reached another level in the playoffs, owning a .952 save percentage and a 1.36 goals-against average in nine games. He performed so well that he’s committed to Boston College, one of the best schools in the country.

Fowler ranks anywhere from 45th overall (McKeen’s Hockey) to 73rd overall (EliteProspects). Moreover, he ranks as the fifth-best North American netminder according to NHL Central Scouting.

He’s a big unlike the last goaltender we looked at, Scott Ratzlaff. He has great lateral speed and does a good job anticipating where the puck is going. He can drop down to butterfly quickly, which allows him to cover the five-hole. Fowler is also incredibly athletic, and performed excellently when the pressure was on.

In terms of weaknesses, he isn’t the strongest of skaters, which he’ll need to improve by the time he reaches professional hockey. Moreover, some scouts are concerned about his glove side, as he’ll also need to work on extending it to avoid top-shelf goals.

Goaltenders take forever to develop, so I’d expect Fowler to play four years at Boston College, a great school for developing goaltending prospects. It may take a while for Fowler to become a starter, but the reward may well be worth it.

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Previously in this series…

• With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Felix Unger Sörum?
• With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Caden Price?
• With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Hunter Brzustewicz?
• With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Scott Ratzlaff?
• With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Carey Terrance?
• With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Luca Cagnoni?