Per Scott Wheeler at The Athletic, Montreal prospect Jacob Fowler is the top NHL’s goaltending prospect. Roughly a month ago, TSN‘s Craig Button published the NHL’s top affiliated prospects list. Fowler’s name did not appear on Button’s list, as he was with the Habs at the time, and Button’s list only includes non-NHL players. Aligned with Wheeler’s opinion on the matter, Fowler was #3 on Button’s list prior to this promotion, as well as its top goaltender.
Where these opinions differ is with fellow Detroit goaltending prospects Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine. While both goalies are recognized as elite prospects, Wheeler does rank Cossa one spot higher than Augustine. In Button’s rankings, Augustine occupies #5, while Cossa is at #19. Button’s rankings are in line with all other prospect rankings I have seen. This includes the NHL Central Scouting’s pre-season rankings, in which Augustine is ranked as Detroit’s #1 prospect.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7176071/2026/04/14/nhl-goalie-top-prospect-ranking-2026