The Canadian | Jakub Dobes recalled, Cayden Primeau on waivers

(Fort Lauderdale) Samuel Montembeault had an assistant in net at a chic Fort Lauderdale training center Friday afternoon, and it wasn’t Cayden Primeau.

Primeau was not there for a very good reason: he did not make this trip to Florida, at the request of the Canadian.

Instead, the 25-year-old goalie will be placed on waivers this Saturday, December 28, the date the National League’s holiday transaction freeze period ends. If Primeau is not claimed, which is very likely, he will then become a member of the Laval Rocket, in the American League.

His last departure was on 1^is December, already, and with disastrous numbers, the worst among NHL goaltenders (an average of 4.70 and an efficiency rate of .836), his days seemed numbered with the Montreal club, in the immediate future. less.

But despite all that, Martin St-Louis believes that all is not lost in his case.

“Primeau has to regain his confidence, and it’s hard to do that when you don’t play often,” explained the Montreal coach Friday in Fort Lauderdale. He is still very young, this is his journey; he has to return to the American League to rebuild, and he’s not the first player who has to do that. »

Since Primeau is not here, the Canadian confirmed the recall of another goalie, Jakub Dobes, as the club begins a series of five games on the road, the first of which this Saturday afternoon at Sunrise, against to the Florida Panthers.

Dobes, 23, was doing pretty well for the Rocket, with a 9-3-1 record, a 2.44 GAA, and a .910 save percentage.

This fifth-round pick by the Canadian in the 2020 draft has never played in the NHL, but that will be a thing this Saturday, since Martin St-Louis confirmed that it is Dobes who will start the game at Sunrise against to the Panthers. Samuel Montembeault will get the next start, Sunday in Tampa against the Lightning.

It will be understood that the young Czech goalkeeper presented himself in Florida with great enthusiasm.

“I’m excited, the Panthers have a good club, and I just want to show what I can do,” Dobes said after Friday’s practice. I knew it [jeudi] After Rocket practice, my mom was in town, and I immediately thought she was going to need a plane ticket to Florida! We got that sorted, so now I can concentrate on hockey. »

The Canadian, meanwhile, will try to get back to winning ways after losing the previous match, in Columbus, a defeat that came after a series of three victories.

The holiday challenge at Sunrise is still great – the Canadiens haven’t won a single game here during the holiday season since December 2018 – but what’s more, the Panthers are still doing quite well these days, having won 7 of their last 10 matches.

In short, Jakub Dobes couldn’t find a better place to start his career in the National League!

“It’s an opportunity for a young goalie who wants to show what he can do,” added Martin St-Louis. We throw him into situations like that, and we want to see how he responds. »

Wool present in training

Patrik Laine didn’t stay up late during the Canadian’s last game, December 23 in Columbus. After suggesting that there was a certain culture of losing among the Blue Jackets, Laine was clearly targeted by some members of his former club, who administered a total of four hits in the first period. The Finnish striker had to withdraw after only 20 minutes of play, but he was indeed present during training on Friday afternoon in Fort Lauderdale. However, the Canadiens’ management made the decision not to make it available to members of the media during question period. “Patrik is a very dangerous player recently,” replied Martin St-Louis on this subject. If I had to play against him, I would say that we have to play physical, and that’s what they did. »