BC Bulletin

Former BC Men's Hockey Players Compete in NHL Rookie Training Camp: The Rundown

Just a few weeks are left until the 2025-26 NHL season begins, and there will be a number of former Eagles vying for a roster spot in the professional ranks.
Graham Dietz|
NHL (@nhl) via Instagram.

There are only 20 days to go until the National Hockey League (NHL) drops the puck for the first time and the 2025-26 NHL regular season begins, which means NHL Rookie Camps are now underway across the entire league.

Among those rookies competing to make their respective rosters are two former Boston College men’s hockey players, goaltender Jacob Fowler (Montreal Canadiens) and winger Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers).

Fowler and Perreault, who have spent the last two seasons in Chestnut Hill, Mass., both signed their rookie deals in Spring. Fowler signed a three-year, $2.77 million dollar contract on April 4, and Perreault signed a three-year, $2.85 million dollar contract on March 31, and both contracts are entry-level deals.

A Mike Richter Award winner and two-time ACHA First Team All-American, Fowler, who hails from Melbourne, Fla., is leaving a lasting legacy in the goalie ranks of the Eagles’ hockey program.

Fowler’s 1.63 goals against average (GAA) in 2024-25 is a program record, and he finished in the top three nationally in wins (25), GAA, save percentage (.942), and shutouts (7) last season.

On Sept. 11, roughly a week before Rookie Camps started across the league, Fowler talked to the media about what it felt like to play at Bell Centre for the first time, where decades of professional hockey history has materialized for one of the NHL’s original six teams.

"You don't really get words to describe it,” Fowler said. “You want to soak it all up and when I get there, take a couple of looks around and really soak it all in because whether it's a real game or not, the first time you ever get to be in that building with people in it, it's something you will never forget."

According to USHL/NCAA scout and writer for the outlet elitprospects, Fowler is the No. 2 prospect in Montreal’s organization behind Russian winger Ivan Demidov, who was selected fifth overall by the Habs in the 2024 NHL Draft. Fowler was a third-round pick by the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Perreault, meanwhile, is one of the most decorated forwards in the 21st century in BC history despite just playing for a couple of seasons.

Named an ACHA Second Team All-American the past two seasons and a Hockey East First Team All-Star in 2024-25 as a sophomore, along with a Hockey East Second Team All-Star in 2023-24 as a freshman, the New York Rangers' first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft is bringing slick awareness with the puck and an eye for the open man to Manhattan.

Perreault led the Eagles in assists in both 2023-24 (32, fifth nationally) and 2024-25 (41, second nationally), and tied for fourth in Division I in points (90) as a rookie.

On Monday, Perreault talked to the Rangers media about the message that New York’s first-year head coach Mike Sullivan had for him going into Rookie Camp.

“I think the same as everyone,” Perreault said. “Just come in and compete. Kind of that same mentality that I’ve had all summer until now. … I think [Rookie Camp] was a good starting point. I think like I said, I’ve got more to prove, but I’m gonna be ready going into training camp.”

Here is The Rundown for Thursday, September 18.

Thursday's Schedule:

Women's Soccer: vs. Pitt at 7 p.m. EST | Game Preview | Watch on ACCN | Live Stats

Volleyball: vs. Harvard at 7 p.m. EST | Game Preview | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats

Wednesday's Results:

No games were scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025.

Countdown to Boston College men's hockey season opener:

14 days.

Did You Notice?

  • The Boston College football team was addressed by 15 former BC football alum on Tuesday to discuss post-grad career development.
  • BC men's soccer player Andrej Borak earned ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors.
  • Boston College men's basketball coach Earl Grant is working hard in the recruiting realm in the late stages of the offseason before his fifth year at the helm.

Boston College Eagles Quote of the Day:

"I want to make one prediction about the Sugar Bowl game. It is that Boston College will outplay Tennessee in the last quarter."

- Frank Leahy

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Graham Dietz
GRAHAM DIETZ

Graham Dietz is a 2025 graduate of Boston College and subsequently joined Boston College On SI. He previously served as an editor for The Heights, the independent student newspaper, from fall 2021, including as Sports Editor from 2022-23. Graham works for The Boston Globe as a sports correspondent, covering high school football, girls' basketball, and baseball. He was also a beat writer for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2023.

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