Fowler’s hot October, Suzuki nearing return — Canadiens evening report

It’s a game-free night in Montreal, but there’s no shortage of news around a Canadiens team that continues to bank points. The Habs sit 2nd in the Atlantic Division with 20 points through 14 games and a 9-3-2 record, enjoying a brief pause before Winnipeg rolls into town.

Fowler earns October honours and stays grounded

According to La Presse, the Canadiens announced Monday that Jacob Fowler has been awarded the Molson Cup for the month of October. The young goaltender, who started the season in the AHL after losing out at training camp, was brought back to Montreal when Samuel Montembeault was injured and has clearly made the most of that chance.

La Presse notes that Fowler is keeping his cool despite the award, while Sportsnet reports that he credits his strong month to the group in front of him and views it as a good month, not a completed season. Sportsnet also highlights the bond he has formed with fellow netminders Jakub Dobes and Montembeault as part of the Canadiens’ goaltending trio.

Suzuki inching closer, Caufield and youngsters riding confidence

On the injury front, La Presse writes that Nick Suzuki is getting closer to returning to game action and even questions whether the Canadiens truly need to rush him back, given how the team has started. Sportsnet, meanwhile, relays Cole Caufield’s comments that he’s excited to see his captain back at practice and looking good less than two weeks after being injured, saying that when Suzuki is happy, the group is happy.

In his notebook, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels points to the growing confidence of Alexandre Texier and Kaiden Guhle and digs into the impact both players have had early on. The Hockey Writers, for its part, warns of a looming roster bottleneck in Montreal that will force tough decisions from management, including executive vice president Jeff Gorton. Another piece from The Hockey Writers argues that despite some defensive struggles early in the schedule, there are plenty of positives to draw from October, enough to name three Canadiens stars of the month.

Jets up next and a nod to history

The Canadiens’ next test comes Tuesday night, when they host the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell Centre, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Montreal. It’s another chance for the Habs to solidify their position near the top of the Atlantic against a Western Conference opponent.

On the historical side, The Hockey Writers revisits the Canadiens’ retired jerseys and the legends behind them. Earlier today, we already covered the official unveiling of the new Hometown Remix alternate jersey, which Eyes on the Prize notes is part of a league-wide series involving all 32 NHL teams. Rounding things out, a Calder Trophy power ranking and a broader NHL news roundup from The Hockey Writers place Montreal’s promising start within a wider league context.