Confirmed with Link: Cayden Primeau Extended (3-Years, 1-Way @ $890K AAV)

[Habs13]

Martin Leclerc on BPM wondering what the plan is for Primeau as he hasn’t played in more than 33 regular season games in any of his AHL seasons (however, he did appear in 14 playoff games last season, so 47 total).

If they are grooming him to be a no. 1, should he not be getting into more games?

Should probably play ahead of Poulin this season in Laval and hopefully he does well and that encourages Hughes to move Allen. I hope we are sellers again come deadline.

 

[Milhouse40]

Vasy and Shesterkin.

Askarov only prospect I see with that upside.. Wallstedt is close.

Lol, I said 3 or 4 but in my head I really only had those two....I thought I might not think of one or two....but yeah, there's just less franchise goalie. Asakov has a real chance but I tought the same of Hart and Knight at one point, not so sure anymore.

 

[viceroy]

Poulin was forced into the AHL by the injuries, but really has no business being there, let alone in the NHL

The frakk? Poulin impressed the heck outta me. He is definitely an AHL level goalie. Sure if he gets called up, after getting signed, he'll just take the L. I'm guessing he'd be delighted just to be grabbing a couple of games riding the pine and getting that NHL money.

I don't know if you consider an 18-8-3 record, a 2.34 GAA and a .920 SV% as not having any business in the AHL. In fact, he was much better in Laval than he was in the short stint he had with 3R.

It happens. Different team, closer to home, better D in front of him. Just jazzed at being one step up.

I remember some games down the stretch where he couldn't stop anything. Pucks would just go through him.

Dude, we just sucked period. Hard sometimes for a goalie to get motivated when we're basically cratering.

No, sorry, but that issue is now already here. For example, are Allen and Montembault really any better than Murray and Samsonov, and their AHL goalies of Woll and Kallgren are not really behind Primeau, Dobes and Dichow...

Buddy, Murray is fricking rotted and he's their number ONE. I mean he only got the gig because he used to play for the SOO.

 

[schwang26]

The big question (probably already asked) is what happens when Allen or Monty get hurt? I highly doubt Primeau gets called up unless it's permanent. I doubt he'd clear waivers especially if he really has turned a corner. If its a short term injury, my guess is, they'll sign Poulin to a 1 year deal and call him up. If it's a long term injury, they'll probably grab the next Hammond. It would make no sense to risk losing Primeau. (Not that I'm convinced yet that he's the future, but still)

 

[WeThreeKings]

The big question (probably already asked) is what happens when Allen or Monty get hurt? I highly doubt Primeau gets called up unless it's permanent. I doubt he'd clear waivers especially if he really has turned a corner. If its a short term injury, my guess is, they'll sign Poulin to a 1 year deal and call him up. If it's a long term injury, they'll probably grab the next Hammond. It would make no sense to risk losing Primeau. (Not that I'm convinced yet that he's the future, but still)

They have more than enough late picks to flip one to a team for one of their 3rd or 4th stringers on a NHL deal.

 

[schwang26]

They have more than enough late picks to flip one to a team for one of their 3rd or 4th stringers on a NHL deal.

True. Given how the season should go, I wouldn't waste a pick if it's not necessary though

 

[WeThreeKings]

True. Given how the season should go, I wouldn't waste a pick if it's not necessary though

Our pool is so deep that a 5th round pick is really nothing we should be concerned about burning.

 

[Habs10Habs]

I remember some games down the stretch where he couldn't stop anything. Pucks would just go through him.

For example, in the following highlights of one of the last games of the season, at the 5 minute mark, you see him make some good saves, only to give up a softee that's a total back breaker. Can't be a number 1 if you continually five up goals like this...

Of the 5 goals, one was a penalty shot, another a 2 on 1, and the last was an empty net goal. The saves he made when the game was 0-0 kept his team in the game.

Monty didn't have the best season. But he continuously showed improvement throughout the year. Add in the fact that he played with well known injuries, when the team wanted to keep Primeau down.

Nobody said or should say that Monty will be a #1 goalie. Considering the situation he was thrown into. I'd say Monty did an admirable job. I think you're being too hard on him. Or expecting him to be something that he clearly isn't.

 

[Adam Michaels]

They have more than enough late picks to flip one to a team for one of their 3rd or 4th stringers on a NHL deal.

I don't think the Habs will wait as long as they did last year before they look to acquire someone. And if they can't come to terms on a trade, they can then turn internally and sign Poulin to an NHL deal and bring him up.

But at the same time, Primeau needs to learn how to handle call ups and not let those affect him if they don't go well. I know it's not uncommon for players to struggle in the NHL and others pout if they are sent back down to the minors, but hopefully what Primeau experienced in the NHL last year will be chalked up as a learning experience and he'll be more ready should he get called up at some point this year.

 

[schwang26]

I don't think the Habs will wait as long as they did last year before they look to acquire someone. And if they can't come to terms on a trade, they can then turn internally and sign Poulin to an NHL deal and bring him up.

But at the same time, Primeau needs to learn how to handle call ups and not let those affect him if they don't go well. I know it's not uncommon for players to struggle in the NHL and others pout if they are sent back down to the minors, but hopefully what Primeau experienced in the NHL last year will be chalked up as a learning experience and he'll be more ready should he get called up at some point this year.

My mistake. I think hes still waiver exempt this season.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I would assume they'd just do the same thing as last season with goalie injuries. Give Primeau a cup of coffee if it's a short term thing, and otherwise they'll just find another Hammond to soak some minutes for a while.

 

[26Mats]

Of the 5 goals, one was a penalty shot, another a 2 on 1, and the last was an empty net goal. The saves he made when the game was 0-0 kept his team in the game.

Monty didn't have the best season. But he continuously showed improvement throughout the year. Add in the fact that he played with well known injuries, when the team wanted to keep Primeau down.

Nobody said or should say that Monty will be a #1 goalie. Considering the situation he was thrown into. I'd say Monty did an admirable job. I think you're being too hard on him. Or expecting him to be something that he clearly isn't.

Actually there was a typo in this post. It was supposed to say "give up" not "five up." I was refering to the one bad goal, when I think the score was 3-1.

We'll see if he can become a Jake Allen or Halak level backup for his career.... if he can't, I don't consider him that valuable. We don't need another Budaj, Montoya, or Kinkaid.

 

[StCaufield]

He was younger. For The second half of last year I thought he looked much more composed.

Agreed but it wasn’t a big stretch so we’ll see for sure

 

[Habs10Habs]

Actually there was a typo in this post. It was supposed to say "give up" not "five up." I was refering to the one bad goal, when I think the score was 3-1.

We'll see if he can become a Jake Allen or Halak level backup for his career.... if he can't, I don't consider him that valuable. We don't need another Budaj, Montoya, or Kinkaid.

Thanks for pointing that out.

In all honesty, I don't expect him to reach the level of either an Allen or Halak. All I"m hoping from him is decent goaltending. So he allows Primeau and the other young prospect goalies, not to be rushed up to the Habs. If he can do that, I'd consider him to be valuable in our near future.

 

[Runner77]

Thanks for pointing that out.

In all honesty, I don't expect him to reach the level of either an Allen or Halak. All I"m hoping from him is decent goaltending. So he allows Primeau and the other young prospect goalies, not to be rushed up to the Habs. If he can do that, I'd consider him to be valuable in our near future.

The window not to rush Primeau, is quickly closing. It’s this season in the minors (or be a yoyo again) and whatever he turns into next year, will be what we’ll have to live with, when he no longer will be waiver wire claim exempt.

He might even lose his exemption this season if he burns too many games as an NHL call-up, which wouldn’t surprise me given how frail Allen is.

 

[RealityBytes]

We are not remotely in the same contending period as the Leafs.

The truth of the matter is that the Montreal Canadiens have not had an opportunity to draft a goalie with #1 upside since 2018 when Dostal went in round 3 and at the time, no one thought he had that upside.. I really liked him but he's developed better than expected.

Askarov went before we could pick him.
Knight went before we could pick him.
Wallstedt went before we could pick him.

The next chance they will get is 2024 with Vinni.

And yeah, Dobes/Dichow/Primeau is a better contingent than Woll and Kallgren. Primeau was clearly better than Woll in the NCAA and has shown better at the AHL level, as well. Dobes' first season in the NCAA is better than anything Woll put together especially factoring in teams. Dichow just had one of the best goalie seasons in Allsvenskan and is playing with Frolunda, Kallgren is just a name from Sweden.

LOL ... of course that adds up if you are wearing homer glasses, I guess you missed Woll vs Primeau's NHL stats in the comparison. Here it is:

Primeau ...... GP GS W L T OT SA GA GAA SV%

2021-2022

12

9

1

7

0

1

302

40

4.62

.868

Woll

2021-2022

4

4

3

1

0

0

123

11

2.75

.911

Also interesting is that Primeau had a .909 SV% and Woll had a .907 SV% in 2021-22 AHL.

The thing is, a lot of goalies can have better stats and then flop when they get higher, e.g. remember hyped Fucale. Until some reasonable amount of play in the NHL has been shown, all the talk of goalie is this or that in lower levels is just hype and blab.

As it sits now, there is little to tell what really is the difference between Montreal and Toronto goalie prospects. Doesn't look like much.

 

[WeThreeKings]

LOL ... of course that adds up if you are wearing homer glasses, I guess you missed Woll vs Primeau's NHL stats in the comparison. Here it is:

Primeau ...... GP GS W L T OT SA GA GAA SV%

2021-2022

12

9

1

7

0

1

302

40

4.62

.868

Woll

2021-2022

4

4

3

1

0

0

123

11

2.75

.911

Also interesting is that Primeau had a .909 SV% and Woll had a .907 SV% in 2021-22 AHL.

The thing is, a lot of goalies can have better stats and then flop when they get higher, e.g. remember hyped Fucale. Until some reasonable amount of play in the NHL has been shown, all the talk of goalie is this or that in lower levels is just hype and blab.

As it sits now, there is little to tell what really is the difference between Montreal and Toronto goalie prospects. Doesn't look like much.

Yeah Woll's goaltending stats on the Leafs at a time where Campbell was also putting up Vezina numbers. We can understand the circumstances (and also sample size where Primeau played 3x the games on a worse roster) is going to be reflected in goalie numbers.

And you are continuing to gloss over the point. The Habs are fine as long as they don't Leaf it up - meaning, have their goaltending tandem be Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov on the dying gasps of a cup contending core.

The Habs are in year 2 of their rebuild.. a lot of run-way and time to go before we enter Leafs territory of the prized UFA signing to go with your young core is aging out of being a factor but still costing 11m, and your franchise player is a year away from forcing a trade elsewhere.

 

[Treb]

If the Habs saw Poulin as someone never to play in Trois Rivieres, they could have signed him to a 2-way NHL deal. They did not, so I have my doubts as to their evaluation of him. If they did not sign Poulin now, why would they do so if Allen gets the flu or Monty has a 12 day IR stint??

This only puts Primeau's stability at risk. I therefore think the Habs are looking for a goalie better than Poulin.

JF Bérubé, Christopher Gibson, Andrew Hammond, Garrett Sparks, Dylan Ferguson and Cory Schneider are all currently UFA if they were looking at another AHL goalie.

I think they are comfortable with what they have or their ability to get more as needed.

 

[WickedPegJets]

Competent adults in charge gives me hope.
This team has been mismanaged since Corey hired Houle and Tremblay.


I think Hughes knows that Primeau needs a solid season in Laval. Let's hope he stays there the entire season.

What would have happened to Primeau if he had asked to be signed for one year only? Would Hughes have said “no” and sought to trade him?

 

[Runner77]

What would have happened to Primeau if he had asked to be signed for one year only? Would Hughes have said “no” and sought to trade him?

I’m guessing Primeau would have been on a short leash, marketed as the goalie who took a big step forward in the AHL playoffs last season.

 

[BaseballCoach]

You already have depth. You have 6 goalies for your three teams.

........ and I was right that they went for a seventh. There needs to be at least one spare in the whole org.

 

[Treb]

........ and I was right that they went for a seventh. There needs to be at least one spare in the whole org.

Except you were talking about a 2nd/3rd goalie on the depth chart, not 7th.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Except you were talking about a 2nd/3rd goalie on the depth chart, not 7th.

I talked about two different things.

A. My preference: another signed NHL contracted goalie that would allow us not to have to keep sending Primeau up due to minor injuries/illnesses
B. Plan b, a 7th goalie not NHL contracted, that would allow Poulin to be signed.

Either way, I disagreed with the statement that having 6 goalies for three teams is goalie depth. It is not. In fact it is virtually guaranteed to be not enough.

 

[Adam Michaels]

........ and I was right that they went for a seventh. There needs to be at least one spare in the whole org.

You mentioned an NHL or AHL goalie. This is an ECHL contract. So will only be able to play for 3R.

NHL contracts: Allen, Monty, Primeau
AHL contracts: Poulin, Desrosiers, Vrbetic
ECHL contract: Sigouin

 

[BaseballCoach]

You mentioned an NHL or AHL goalie. This is an ECHL contract. So will only be able to play for 3R.

NHL contracts: Allen, Monty, Primeau
AHL contracts: Poulin, Desrosiers, Vrbetic
ECHL contract: Sigouin

I did, but you or someone said that the NHL contracted goalie could be Poulin if needed.

If so, I said we would still need another goalie in the system, and it's ok if it's an ECHL contract, since Vrbetic and especially Desrosiers could move up during an injury period.

Whoever said 6 goalies is depth is simply wrong, when that is bare minimum.