Despite being one of the favorites to win the 2025 NCAA championships, the Eagles crashed out of the tournament after a 3-1 defeat to Denver on Sunday. Amid the loss, Boston goalie Jacob Fowler made 27 saves, further highlighting why he was the right person to win the 2024-25 Hockey East Goaltender of the Year award. And probably that’s why the sophomore is willing to stick around Chestnut Hill for a little longer.

A recent post on X by Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson has stirred up the pot with Fowler’s next possible career move. “Nothing official, but there is some decent smoke out there that Jacob Fowler (MTL) is leaning towards returning to Boston College for a junior season,” reads the post, which also highlights Jacob’s incredible 25-7-2 season stats.

The rumor comes as a shock, considering Fowler was supposed to sign an entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens, thus following the Washington Capitals-bound Ryan Leonard to the NHL. Leonard’s collegiate career ended at Sunday’s Manchester Regional final against Denver, and he got his NHL shoes on against the Bruins on Tuesday. But it looks like Fowler, on the other hand, is more interested in bulking up on his collegiate records before traversing uncharted waters. And the decision, if taken, will not be without its merits.

While the Canadiens have been eyeing Fowler for an entry-level contract, chances are he might not see much action from the get-go. Instead, the Eagles star will probably get to train with the Montreal team for the remainder of the season. There are also possibilities of him being sent to play for the AHL’s Laval Rocket. In that case, he will have to sign an ATO for this year, with his contract set to begin from the 2026 season.

Now neither possibility is a bad bargain by any means. That being said, maybe it would be wiser for Fowler to stick around the college circuit for a while longer, considering how goaltenders who have made an early jump to the pro level have traditionally not lived up to their potential. One of the most recent examples of that would be another BC alumnus, Spencer Knight, who made his debut for the Florida Panthers in 2021 after leaving college as a sophomore.

Despite making a promising start with the Panthers, his numbers began deteriorating as his ice time went up. Eventually, unsatisfactory displays saw him being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. And considering how the Blackhawks have sort of lost their way, it’s not surprising that Knight’s save percentage for them stands at a meagre .887.

Besides, considering the numbers Fowler has already racked up, there’s reason to believe that more time in the NCAA will make him an even more lucrative prospect.

Fowler’s stellar numbers could make him a top NHL recruit

As stated previously, Jacob Fowler was bestowed with the 2024-25 Hockey East Goaltender of the Year honor thanks to his incredible sophomore season. This was also the second straight time the Boston College goalie bagged the award. The Eagles finished the season with an impressive 55 points and won their 19th Hockey East regular-season championship. In the spectacular campaign, Fowler has remained a pivotal player for the squad throughout the season.

With a 1.62 goals against average, a .941 save percentage, seven shutouts, and 816 saves, Jacob proved why his prospect in the NHL is truly noteworthy and justifiably was on the radar for multiple franchises. On top of that, the netminder also posted a 16-3-2 record in the conference. In Hockey East, Fowler ranks fourth in terms of total saves, while he leads the charts of the goalies with the most number of wins.

However, if Jacob indeed decides to go back to Chestnut Hill for a third season, it will pose a significant problem for the Canadiens to get him on board ASAP. On the other hand, despite the fact that Fowler has faced 25 shots on average at every NCAA game, he will have to pull up his socks considerably for either the NHL or the AHL. So, is Montreal looking to give him more time to prepare for the journey ahead by allowing Fowler to return to Boston for his junior year? What are your thoughts? Tell us in a comment!