The Montreal Canadiens were full of hopes in net on the second day of the draft, Thursday in Nashville, in addition to selecting a player with a familiar name.
The Habs set their sights on goaltenders Jacob Fowler in the third round, 69e overall, Quentin Miller in the fourth round, 128e overall, and Yevgeni Volokhin in the fifth round, 144e in total.
He also opted for forward Florian Xhekaj in the fourth round, at 101e rank. He is Arber’s younger brother.
The team completed its harvest by selecting Russian defender Bogdan Konyushkov in the fourth round, in the 110e rank, American forward Sam Harris in the fifth round, 133e in total, Swedish striker Filip Eriksson in the sixth round, 165e overall, and American defenseman Luke Mittelstadt in the seventh round, at 197e rank.
Fowler thrilled
A native of Melbourne, Fla., Jacob Fowler was ranked the fifth-best North American goaltender available, according to NHL Central Scouting.
He was delighted to be chosen by the Habs.
“I have a lot of family in Montreal and in the region of Quebec, he said with a broad smile. It makes me emotional to see myself in the pictures [avec le chandail du Canadien]. It’s special to be able to share this moment with my family.”
Fowler played with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL (United States Hockey League) last winter and was named the league’s top goaltender. He will join the ranks of Boston College this fall.
“There aren’t many goaltenders playing in the NHL at 18,” he said. I want to spend the necessary time in university to prepare myself for a great career in the NHL.
“I want to get faster. Each time you level up, the game is a bit faster. In the NHL, the game is so fast now. If you’re not ready for the shot, the puck will go in,” he added.
Most observers have noted that the main question mark about Fowler is his physical condition. NHL Central Scouting listed him at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 222 pounds (101 kg).
A successful Montreal goalie
For his part, Florian Xhekaj, already 19 years old, played his first season in the OHL this winter and tallied 13 goals and 12 assists in 68 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Konyushkov is 20 years old and 5 feet 7 inches (1.70m), according to the NHL. He has two goals and 23 assists in 64 games with the Kontinental Hockey League’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.
Montreal native Quentin Miller played 20 games with the Remparts, going 14-4-0 with a 2.11 GAA and .911 save percentage. He was William Rousseau’s backup when the team won the QMJHL championship and then the Memorial Cup.
Sam Harris is 19 years old and originally from San Diego. He has 30 goals and 26 assists in 56 games with the Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL, and is committed to playing at the University of Denver next season.
As for Yevgeni Volokhin, he wore the colors of Mamonty Yugry in the Russian second division. He already has a good size at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91m), for only 168 pounds (76 kg).
Filip Eriksson played little in Sweden last season, playing two first division games with Växjö Lakers HC and 11 games with his junior club. He did, however, make the qualifiers with senior club Växjö, playing six more fixtures.
Luke Mittelstadt is the younger brother of Casey, who plays with the Buffalo Sabers. He’s already 20 years old and has five goals and 16 assists in 38 games with the University of Minnesota this winter.
On Wednesday, the Canadiens selected Austrian right-hander David Reinbacher fifth overall in the first round.
The Canadiens also added forward Alex Newhook to the organization during the week. The 22-year-old Newfoundlander was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday for 31e and 37e pick and defenseman Gianni Fairbrother.