Owen Fowler (Photo provided by UML)
LOWELL — Forward Owen Fowler informed Massachusetts Lowell hockey coach Norm Bazin Tuesday morning that he plans to transfer and play at another school in the fall.
Fowler grew up in Tewksbury, about 15 minutes from UML's arena, the Tsongas Center. He had a productive freshman season with the River Hawks, scoring five goals and 12 points in 33 games.
However, he was unable to play last season after sustaining a knee injury suffered in a mob attack while returning to his Lowell apartment with teammates on September 10th. The attack left him with head injuries and fractured his kneecap.
He witnessed a recent practice and said he is looking forward to skating to begin preparing for next season. Since then, he has resumed skating.
“He's going to go elsewhere (next season),” Bazin said, adding that he was “a little bit” surprised by Fowler's announcement. “I heard a little bit of a scuttlebutt, so he didn't pop out in left field. Apparently he doesn't think we're going to be good again. We want players who want to be here. .”
Fowler's parents, Jack and Karen, are refuting claims that their son is leaving Lowell College because of wins and losses. The River Hawks lost 1-0 to New Hampshire in the first round of the Hockey East playoffs last Wednesday, ending a disappointing season with an 8-24-4 record.
“He needs a fresh start after the attack in the city,” Karen Fowler said. “It has nothing to do with winning or losing.”
The Fowlers said those responsible for the attack were never arrested and they felt the UML coaching staff did not adequately support their son during his rehabilitation.
Jack Fowler said telling his teammates that his son had decided to transfer “sailed his life” and said he struggled with the decision.
A stocky player, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Fowler led Sioux City to the 2021-22 National Hockey League Championship in his final year of junior hockey.
He previously played at Central Catholic High School (one season), Governor's Academy, Des Moines (USHL) and Omaha (USHL) before transferring from Omaha to Sioux City. Fowler can officially enter the NCAA transfer portal on March 31 as an underclassman.
The portal is likely to be busy again this spring during college hockey. The portal for non-graduates will be open from March 31st until May 14th.
Last spring, nearly 300 Division I players entered the portal. Of those, just over 74 percent transferred to another Division I program.
