Skip to article
The Sporting Page Real Analysis. Not Corporate

NHL

Canadiens turn to Jacob Fowler after Sam Montembeault’s practice injury

Fowler will start against Nashville on Thursday after being recalled from Laval. Montreal has not given a recovery timeline for Montembeault.

By TSP Staff
Jacob Fowler guarding the Canadiens net in a red Montreal uniform.
Jacob Fowler guards Montreal’s net in the photograph used with the NHL’s October 8 status report. The source did not specify the capture date. · Credit: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images, via NHL.com

Jacob Fowler will make his first start of the season for the Montreal Canadiens against the Nashville Predators on Thursday after Sam Montembeault was injured in Wednesday’s practice.

Montembeault’s injury remained undisclosed in the NHL’s Thursday status report. Coach Martin St. Louis said Montreal did not yet know how long the goaltender would be sidelined and that he was due for further examination Thursday, Sportsnet reported.

The Canadiens recalled Fowler, 21, from the AHL’s Laval Rocket on Wednesday. He went 9-6-2 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage in 17 games for Montreal last season.

Thursday’s game begins at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.

Sources and notes

  1. NHL.com, October 8 status report, Montreal entry: https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-status-report-news-and-notes-october-8-2026
  2. Sportsnet, October 8 update from Martin St. Louis: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/no-timeline-for-montembeault-recovery-fowler-to-start-vs-predators/