A Love Triangle in Montreal: Imagine If Jordan Binnington Were There

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
A Love Triangle in Montreal: Imagine If Jordan Binnington Were There
Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Yesterday's game highlighted a reality within the Habs' camp: the role of young players on the Canadiens.

Whether it's Florian Xhekaj or David Reinbacher, we're seeing young players pushing the veterans from behind right now. And if they deserve their spots, the team needs to adapt accordingly.

My colleague Maxime Truman was talking about this this morning: meritocracy is a big topic right now.

Will the Canadiens make room for David Reinbacher? What will they do when Kaiden Guhle returns and it becomes harder to make room for everyone?

And what about Florian Xhekaj? Can the Canadiens make a move to clear a spot for him?

Right now, so much attention is focused on Xhekaj and Reinbacher that there's been a bit less talk about Jacob Fowler's situation in goal for the Habs.

Yesterday, we reported that Samuel Montembeault appears to have edged out Jacob Fowler in the race for the No. 2 spot. The American didn't get his chance yesterday, and other signs point in that direction.

There's only one remaining opportunity for both men to prove themselves in a preseason game. Until then, practices will also be quite important.

Can Fowler turn things around? That's the question to ask.

What we do know is that he can at least hold out hope. And that's because the Canadiens have put him in a position where he can fight for his spot in the lineup.

This morning on BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie pointed out that the Canadiens could have acquired another goaltender like Jordan Binnington at the March 2026 trade deadline, but they didn't.

If they had, let's just say Fowler wouldn't have stood a chance of making the team. Jakub Dobes and Jordan Binnington would have been the two starters, no question about it.

But now, a door is open. If he really wants to, Kent Hughes can bench Monty. I don't think he's planning to do that, now that we're seeing what's happening at camp, but still: he put himself in a position where Fowler could push for a spot.

Note that I stand by what I've always said: I want Fowler to be at the heart of the plan. And if seeing him play significant minutes in Laval is ideal for him, so be it.

And for what it's worth, I've never been against the idea of having him log some minutes down low to start the season. Since when is it bad for a goalie to dominate at a lower level?


In a Nutshell

– Note.

– A mother proud of her sons.

– Something to watch out for.

– Fine in Washington.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!