MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens may have identified a clever «cap-saving» loophole to manage rising star Jacob Fowler through late March, but a new NHL rule implemented for the 2025-26 season is making the maneuver much more complicated than a simple clerical move.
The Strategy: Banking Dollars for the Stretch Run According to industry insiders, including Nicolas Cloutier, the Canadiens are considering sending Fowler down to the Laval Rocket (AHL) after this weekend. The goal is to accumulate daily cap savings by removing his $923.3K salary from the active roster during a lighter portion of the schedule.
The plan would involve bringing him back just in time for the crucial back-to-back games at the end of the month. In his absence, Jakub Dobes would shoulder the entire workload in the NHL crease.
The Roadblock: No More «Paper» Loans Historically, GMs would perform «paper transactions» where a player was loaned to the minors without ever physically leaving the NHL team. However, the new NHL CBA has effectively banned this practice. Under the current rules:
- Must Play to Return: Any player assigned to the AHL must now play at least one game in the minors before they are eligible to be recalled to the NHL.
- Physical Presence: The player can no longer remain with the big club; they must report to the AHL affiliate and actually dress for a game.
Development vs. Dollars This creates a dilemma for Kent Hughes. To save approximately $15k–$20k per day in cap space, the Canadiens must risk disrupting the rhythm of their prize goaltending prospect. Sending Fowler to Laval isn’t just a «paper move»—it means he has to face AHL shooters and risk injury in a minor league environment before he can return to the Bell Centre.
With the Canadiens sitting in a competitive playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, management must weigh whether the marginal cap flexibility is worth the logistical headache and the physical toll on Fowler.