The walls of the Canadiens’ locker room in Brossard seem to hum with anticipation, the air thick with expectation and nervous energy. On one side, Jacob Fowler sits quietly, his gaze steady but betraying a flicker of uncertainty beneath the surface. On the other, Brendan Gallagher—Montreal’s battle-tested forward, his jersey worn and his voice seasoned by years in the league—steps into the spotlight, ready to deliver a message that will ripple far beyond the ice.

It’s Wednesday morning, and the city of Montreal is bracing for what could be the dawn of a new era in the crease. Fowler, just 21 years old, has been dazzling fans and coaches alike with his lightning reflexes and uncanny poise. In Boston College’s colors, he was a wall: 25 wins, a goals-against average that would make any scout take notice, and seven shutouts in a single season. In Laval, he picked up right where he left off, turning heads and fueling a hype train that only seems to gather speed with each game.

But as the buzz grows louder, Gallagher steps forward—not to add fuel, but to pump the brakes. Facing a sea of microphones and flashing cameras, he invokes the name that still echoes through the Bell Centre: Carey Price. Gallagher’s words hang in the air, heavy with memory and meaning. He reminds fans not of Price’s dominance, but of his earliest struggles—the losses, the doubts, the nights when Montreal’s faithful questioned if their future franchise goalie would ever live up to the legendary number 31.

“One thing I can say to that for fans is to understand how good Carey Price was, how many great years he had, and understand how tough it was at the start for him,” Gallagher says, his tone both protective and cautionary. He knows better than anyone the weight of expectation that comes with the Canadiens sweater, having watched Price transform from a mocked rookie to the club’s all-time leader in wins and minutes played. Gallagher’s message is clear: the path to greatness is rarely a straight line, and the pressure of Montreal can shape—or shatter—a young player’s destiny.

Outside the rink, the city is restless. Polls show Fowler already considered a future starter, with nearly 27 percent of fans voting him as the next big hope between the pipes. The market’s enthusiasm is palpable, sometimes outpacing the steady progress of player development. Yet Gallagher stands firm, urging patience and perspective, reminding everyone that even legends are forged in fire, not overnight.

As the Canadiens prepare for a critical showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins, all eyes are on Fowler, who could make his NHL debut under the brightest lights yet. The stakes are enormous, and the story is still unwritten. Gallagher’s words linger, a reality check amid the fever pitch of anticipation—a reminder that the journey from prospect to superstar is as unpredictable as the game itself.

What happens next could redefine the narrative not just for Fowler, but for a city that lives and breathes hockey. The curtain is about to rise, and Montreal is watching.

Photo of Brendan Gallagher and Jacob Fowler

Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL

Wednesday, Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher was quoted in an interview where he was asked about Fowler, seen as the “savior” in the Montreal net.

Gallagher responded by bringing everyone back to Carey Price, reminding them how dominant he was, but especially how difficult his first years in the NHL actually were.

“One thing I can say to that for fans is to understand how good Carey Price was, how many great years he had, and understand how tough it was at the start for him.”

– Brendan Gallagher, via Patrick Friolet

Jacob Fowler, 21, has nevertheless been on fire for two seasons. At Boston College in the NCAA, he recorded a 25-win, 7-loss, 2-tie season with a goals-against average of 1.63 and a save percentage of 0.940 in 2024-2025, along with seven shutouts. The Canadiens prospect also made noise in Laval, where he continued his momentum in the AHL.

While fans are already dreaming of a new great No. 31, Gallagher reminds them that Carey Price took time before becoming a club legend.

Over his NHL career, Price played 712 games with the Canadiens, earning 361 wins, a 2.51 goals-against average, and a .917 save percentage-numbers that place him among the best goaltenders in the organization’s history. At the beginning, however, Price faced tougher seasons, lost playing time to Jaroslav Halak, and even endured mockery from the Bell Centre crowd.

It is precisely this roller-coaster path that Gallagher wants fans to remember before placing the entire weight of the city on the shoulders of a young goaltender who has not yet played a full season in Montreal.

Brendan Gallagher protects Jacob Fowler

At 33, with a $6.5 million-per-season contract through 2027, Gallagher knows better than anyone the particular pressure that comes with the Canadiens jersey. He spent his career in Montreal alongside Price and saw firsthand how the latter went from a criticized young goalie to the team’s leader in wins and minutes played.

While Samuel Montembeault currently holds the No. 1 goaltender title, recent fan polls show that Fowler is already seen as a serious medium-term candidate for the role, earning nearly 27 percent of the votes in a question about the goalie of the future. In a market like Montreal, enthusiasm rises quickly-sometimes faster than the development of young players.

Gallagher’s message is therefore simple: enjoy Jacob Fowler’s meteoric rise, savor his impressive statistics, but remember that even Carey Price did not become Carey Price in a single season.

The Canadiens are gearing up for a pivotal matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow, with Jacob Fowler in position to potentially make his NHL debut.