Jacob Fowler #1 of the Boston College Eagles (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
Chicago Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight has been paying close attention to the Montreal Canadiens’ run into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and, more specifically, Canadiens’ top goalie prospect Jacob Fowler, who is playing for the Laval Rocket in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Thanks to Montreal Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault going down with an injury during Game 3 of the Canadiens’ first-round series against the Washington Capitals, Rocket goalie Cayden Primeau was recalled to Montreal. For a second-straight game, he will back up Jakub Dobeš in Game 5 at Washington on Wednesday night.
That means that same night, hot-shot prospect Fowler—who, like Knight, starred at Boston College—will start against the Cleveland Monsters (AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets) in Game 1 for the Laval Rocket in the North Division semifinals of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Knight’s Mentorship Role
Not only has Knight been keeping tabs on his fellow Eagles alum, but he was there for Fowler as the 2023 third-round (63rd overall) pick decided whether or not to turn pro in early April.
“Yeah, I’ve talked to him, and we text throughout the season,” Knight said about Fowler in a recent one-on-one with RG.
His fellow former Eagles goalie signed a three-year entry-level contract (2025-26 through 2027-28) on April 4. Knight did his best to help Fowler understand what was ahead of him.
“I’ll shoot him a text every once in a while and check in on him. I talked to him a little bit before he signed,” the 24-year-old Knight said of the 20-year-old Fowler.
“He just asked me some questions about pro hockey and a little guidance on the process. He’s a smart kid; he’s a great goalie, and he’s on the right track, but I told him that it takes time, and like we discussed before, you need to learn what it means to be a pro before you really make it. He’s on the right path now in Laval, and I’m sure he’ll be in Montreal soon, but also when the time is right.”
Inspired by Canadiens’ Success
Not only has Knight enjoyed seeing Fowler’s ascension to pro hockey and his first contract, but after being traded to a team in a rebuild like the Chicago Blackhawks, the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and 2024 Stanley Cup champion is impressed with the Canadiens’ current progress.
“Yeah, it’s cool to see a team like Montreal have success and make the playoffs, and we’ll see what they can do,” Knight pointed out.
“It definitely gives organizations that are in similar positions, like us, the motivation to get to that point. And there’s no reason why we can’t eventually and definitely do it. It just takes a lot of commitment on all ends: players, management, staff, everyone. It’s definitely motivating. We’ll get there, but we’re going to do it on our own timeline, our own path. It’s not like a cookie-cutter thing, like whatever they did or how they did it. We’re going to do it our way and go from there, and I feel confident we’ll get there.”
James Murphy
With 24 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, ESPN Boston, NESN, NHL.com, etc.) covering the Bruins, the NHL, NCAA and junior hockey, and more, Jimmy Murphy’s hockey black book is filled with Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts and a wide array of hockey media personalities that have lived in and around this great game. For 22 of his 24 years as a hockey and sports reporter, Murphy covered the Bruins on a daily basis, including their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their runs to the 2013 and 2019 Finals. Murphy is currently a co-host, along with Pierre McGuire, on The Eye Test Podcast.
