Overview
- The recalls were announced minutes after Tampa Bay routed Montreal 6-1, a move widely seen as a response to prolonged netminding issues.
- Jakub Dobes and Samuel Montembeault have combined for about an 88.52 save percentage, one of the NHL’s lowest, with repeated defensive lapses exacerbating results.
- Fowler has starred in the AHL with Laval at 10-5-0 with a .919–.920 save percentage, a 2.09 goals-against average and three shutouts, though he has no NHL games yet.
- St. Louis said Fowler is not being brought in as a saviour and indicated his NHL debut is not guaranteed, with the starter for Thursday in Pittsburgh still undecided.
- Analysts pointed to a stark gap between expected goals against and actual goals allowed as evidence of structural problems and warned against rushing Fowler, with some suggesting veteran Kaapo Kahkonen as an alternative option.