Cayden Primeau finally broke the silence, publicly expressing his frustration with the management of his career by the Montreal Canadiens.
As the team prepares to face the Detroit Red Wings in two games in two nights, Primeau remains in total uncertainty about his role.
This situation, which has been going on for months, seems to be reaching a critical point.
The young goalkeeper has not started since the disastrous December 1 match in Boston. Meanwhile, Samuel Montembeault has started the team’s last seven games, relegating Primeau to the role of frustrated observer.
Asked about his state of mind on Wednesday, Primeau revealed a deep unease.
“Confidence can stay with training, but it’s more difficult to stay ready when you don’t play often,” he confided.
“We can do lots of things during training, but there is nothing that replaces game situations in a real match.
So the confidence can remain, but it’s being comfortable in the game that can go up and down in such conditions. I would say this is the most difficult part. »
These words, although measured, reflect a goalkeeper running out of patience. Primeau does not directly criticize the organization, but his comments on the difficulty of remaining ready and maintaining “excellence” under such conditions point directly to management that he considers inadequate.
In fact, he seems to accuse the Canadian of compromising his development and harming his career.
Primeau knows that his future is not in Montreal. The emergence of young goalkeepers like Jakub Dobes and the upcoming arrival of Jacob Fowler in the organization have sealed his fate for a long time.
However, it is clear that the treatment he is currently receiving affects not only his performance, but also his market value.
By keeping him in a marginal role, the Canadian reduces his opportunities to prove his value to other teams, which could have a direct impact on his next contract.
“It’s not just about staying ready,” he added.
“It’s also a question of demonstrating what I can do. In these conditions, it’s difficult to show that I can be a reliable goalkeeper. »
These comments reflect an alarming reality: Primeau feels that the CH, far from helping him relaunch his career, is contributing to the collapse of his confidence and his attraction to other teams.
At only 25 years old, Primeau sees his future darkening because of management that he considers harmful to him and his career.
The Canadian finds himself in an impasse with Primeau. Kent Hughes, although he refuses to submit him on waivers for fear of losing him for nothing, does not seem able to offer him significant opportunities to play.
Meanwhile, Samuel Montembeault plays like a god and dismisses Primeau forever.
This situation fuels a negative spiral that harms both the player and the organization.
If Montreal hoped to maintain Primeau’s value on the transaction market, this strategy seems to have the opposite effect.
Interested teams see a goalkeeper lacking confidence, rusty from lack of matches, and struggle to justify an investment, even laughable, to acquire him.
Primeau’s public outing could force Kent Hughes’ hand. The CH will have to decide quickly: either it gives Primeau the opportunity to prove his value on the ice, or it finds a way to trade him to prevent the situation from degenerating further.
One thing is clear: keeping Primeau in this marginal role benefits neither the player nor the organization.
Primeau is aware that his days in Montreal are numbered. However, he hopes this difficult period will not mark the end of his NHL career.
His comments suggest he’s ready to pursue a new opportunity elsewhere, but first he must overcome the shadow of this frustrating season.
For Montreal, it’s imperative to maximize what’s left of his value before he becomes a restricted free agent this summer.
Keeping him in this situation only increases tensions and reduces the chances of getting a good return.
The relationship between Cayden Primeau and the Canadian now seems irreparable. The young goalkeeper, once seen as an important part of the future, feels betrayed by management that he considers harmful to his career.
While the CH juggles its options for the future, Primeau hopes for an outcome that will allow him to turn the page and relaunch his career elsewhere.
For Kent Hughes, the lesson is clear: prolonging this situation could not only harm Primeau, but also tarnish the reputation of the Canadiens as an organization capable of developing its young talents.
It is time to find a solution before this story becomes another unfortunate chapter in CH history.
Did Cayden Primeau transgress an unwritten rule by breaking his silence, expressing his frustration with his treatment by the Montreal Canadiens?
Measured words, but heavy with innuendo, which reflect a certain fed up on the part of the young goalkeeper. He says he is affected by his lack of playing time, by the uncertainty surrounding his role, and especially by the impact of this situation on his performances and statistics.
But if Primeau’s anger is understandable, it also reflects a much more complex situation. On the one hand, we cannot deny that the Canadian has, on several occasions, managed his development in a chaotic manner.
On the other hand, Primeau remains, according to the numbers, the worst goalie in the NHL this season. These elements collide and suggest a dark future for the 25-year-old goalkeeper.
Primeau believes that the lack of rhythm, combined with the lack of trust granted by the organization, directly affects its performance and its value.
But on some level, one might ask: what did Cayden Primeau expect? His stats this season speak for themselves. Of the 80 goalies who played at least three games in the NHL, he displays:
Worst efficiency percentage (.836).
Worst goals against average (4.70).
Those numbers make him, by all objective measures, the worst goaltender in the league. If Primeau is frustrated with his use, the organization has valid reasons to limit his appearances, especially in a context where the Canadian is trying to gain ground on the teams ahead of him in the Eastern Conference standings.
That said, it’s hard to ignore that the Canadian contributed to this situation. Primeau’s management has often been inconsistent, interweaving prolonged periods, with no real chance of stabilizing.
In recent seasons, Primeau has often been used as a last resort solution, to the detriment of its development:
2020-2021 season: He spent the last five weeks with the Canadian, playing only three games and one period, before observing the playoffs from the stands.
2022-2023 season: Called up due to an injury to Jake Allen, he only played 20 minutes in two weeks, before returning to Laval.
2023-2024 season: Restricted to the role of third goalkeeper in a ménage à trois, he only started 13 out of 63 matches before being relegated to Laval.
These periods of stagnation, combined with irregular use, undoubtedly marred its development. Primeau was often placed in situations where he could neither improve nor prove his worth.
Primeau, once seen as a nugget thanks to his exploits in the NCAA, never managed to convert his potential into professional success.
His college career, however, had everything to inspire confidence: two goalie of the year titles in the Hockey East division, a Mike Richter Trophy awarded to the best goalie in the NCAA, and a selection on the All-Rookie team of the American League.
But in six professional seasons, Primeau only played 178 games (55 in the NHL and 123 in the American League), a paltry total for a goalie his age.
This little experience, combined with his mediocre NHL stats, shattered his market value. Today, even Kent Hughes seems unable to compromise him for anything meaningful.
Primeau is right to feel angry. He is the product of a management that has clearly squandered its potential. The organization, by trying to juggle him like a yoyo, sacrificed its development.
Primeau’s public outing is a warning: this kind of frustration, if not handled correctly, could create tension in the locker room.
As the Canadiens try to get closer to teams fighting for the playoffs, the organization will have to find a balance between its short-term competitive goals and managing disgruntled players like Primeau.
Ultimately, the question remains open: did the Canadiens waste a talent, or did Primeau never have what it took to succeed in the NHL?
One thing is certain, this relationship is irreparable. Primeau appears destined to leave Montreal, whether via a trade for Peanuts or as a restricted free agent this summer.
For the organization, it is now a matter of learning lessons from this situation and ensuring that talents in front of goal like Jakub Dobes or Jacob Fowler do not suffer the same fate.
For Primeau, the future lies in a new start, far from Montreal, where he can try to relaunch a career marked by broken promises and unfair treatment.
In the meantime, he will have to calm his anger. Otherwise, the atmosphere could quickly deteriorate in the CH room.
