Jacob Fowler's Scoring Surge Propels Laval Rocket Up AHL Rankings

Jacob Fowler's stretch between the pipes has become the simplest explanation for why the Laval Rocket sit atop the North Division. Fowler is 18-7-1 with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage through 26 AHL games, numbers that have the Rocket holding a seven-point lead over the pack and in position to widen that margin against two games with Utica this weekend.

It hasn't been a pure solo run; the club has mixed starter usage. "Rocket head coach gave Kaapo Kähkönen a start last Saturday afternoon in a 4-2 home win against the Toronto Marlies. Then it was back to Fowler on Monday afternoon for what turned out to be a 4-3 shootout loss in the rematch in Toronto" captures the recent split. The results: a home win with Kähkönen and a razor-thin shootout defeat with Fowler on the road, highlighting coach-managed rotation while Fowler remains the primary netminder.

Fowler's season shows both volatility and elite stretches. Early in the season he recorded his third shutout in a 2-0 win over Providence and, through nine games, sat at 6-3-0 with a .924 save percentage and a 2.01 GAA and three shutouts. Over a six-game hot streak he posted a .951 save percentage with two shutouts, a 1.33 GAA and a 5-1 record. Those bursts sit alongside a rougher first start in October when he posted a .871 save percentage, and they follow his eight AHL playoff appearances in 2025 when he posted a .902 save percentage and a 2.48 GAA as a rookie.

The numbers give him outside NHL credibility already. His NHL line shows 10 games with 4 wins, 4 losses and 2 overtime losses, a 2.62 GAA and a .902 save percentage with one shutout. There is "a chance Fowler will get a callup to the NHL later this season in case of injuries to Montembeault or Dobes, however there is no need to rush Fowler as he is the strongest candidate to be the goaltender of the future for the Canadians during their competitive window." That alignment of AHL dominance and NHL service time underlines why the organization values him: he carries a cap hit of $923,333 to 2027-28 as an RFA, was drafted in 2023 in the third round at 69th overall, and measures 6'2", 225 pounds.

Laval's standing and schedule sharpen the stakes. "While six points separate second place from the North Division’s fifth spot, the first-place Rocket are positioned to pull away from the rest of the division, perhaps as soon as this weekend." With two games against Utica on the docket, a continuation of Fowler's current 2.23/ .915 line would both strengthen his argument for league awards and force the Canadiens to confront whether to bring him up or let him run in Laval through the playoff push.

"Another test is ahead this weekend for the Laval Rocket and young goaltender Jacob Fowler." How he handles back-to-back divisional matchups will determine whether this season becomes a résumé-building campaign for awards and an eventual NHL promotion, or simply another impressive AHL chapter.