Cayden Primeau, long seen as the potential heir to the Montreal Canadiens net, sees his adventure with the Habs reach a point of no return.
TVA Sports, the last traditional media to comment on his future, announced that the 25-year-old goalkeeper will never again defend goals for CH.
This verdict, although brutal, became inevitable in light of the team's recent decisions and Primeau's damning statistics this season.
Primeau, who hasn't started a game since Dec. 1 against the Bruins, has the worst stats in the NHL among goaltenders who have played at least three games.
With a goals-against average of 4.70 and a save percentage of .836, he trails at the bottom of all relevant rankings.
Worse still, he didn't get a start in the home-and-home series against the Detroit Red Wings, a strong signal from head coach Martin St-Louis about the current goaltending hierarchy.
On Friday, while the team played in Detroit, the city where Primeau's father, Keith, made NHL history, St-Louis opted for Samuel Montembeault, who led his team to a 4-3 victory .
The next day, St. Louis repeated its choice, using an identical lineup, a rarity in back-to-back games. Asked about this decision, the coach cut it short:
“I concentrate on going to direct a match. »
These decisions, combined with Primeau's disastrous performance this season, make his future in Montreal impossible.
While Primeau stagnates at the end of the bench, Samuel Montembeault shines. The Quebecer has become the pillar of the Montreal net, with an impressive streak of nine consecutive starts, the longest of his career.
In December, Montembeault ranked second in the NHL in wins and posted solid statistics, despite an increased workload.
This resurgence coincides with the team's overall improvement in play.
According to Juraj Slafkovsky: “He’s fantastic pretty much every night. It's good to know he has our back. »
Jake Evans also highlighted Montembeault's impact:
“He makes the big saves when we need them. »
Poor Primeau. These comments prove the striking contrast between Montembeault, in full confidence, and Primeau, whose morale seems at its lowest.
If Primeau's numbers are disastrous, it would be unfair not to consider the management errors that marked his time in Montreal.
Since entering the NHL in 2019-2020, Primeau has been tossed between Laval and Montreal, often used as a stopgap in precarious situations.
2020-2021 season: Called up for five weeks, he only plays three games before watching the series from the stands.
2022-2023 season: Temporary replacement during an injury to Jake Allen, he plays barely 20 minutes in two weeks.
2023-2024 season: Victim of the ménage à trois, he only started 13 out of 63 matches before being relegated to Laval.
These sporadic opportunities, combined with prolonged periods of inaction, compromised its development.
Primeau never had the chance to establish himself as number one goalie or even assistant.
With the current performances of Samuel Montembeault and the emergence of talents like Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler, Primeau's future in Montreal is sealed.
TVA Sports pointed out that Martin St-Louis, determined to see his team climb the standings, will likely continue to rely on Montembeault, relegating Primeau to a purely symbolic role.
“Will we see Cayden Primeau again in front of the Canadian’s net? In light of the coaches' decisions over the past few days, nothing is less certain,” concluded the media.
Primeau could be sent to Laval via waivers, a move that some experts believe would result in little risk of him being claimed.
And even if that happened, the Canadiens wouldn't lose a vital piece.
To the point that Quebecor journalist Jonathan Bernier quoted Pierre-Yves McSween:
“Do you really need it? »
At 25, Primeau is at a turning point in his career. With 178 professional games under his belt (55 in the NHL and 123 in the American League), he remains a young player, but his potential is tarnished by mediocre performances and poorly managed development.
The million dollar questions: Will Primeau be able to relaunch elsewhere?
Did CH waste its potential?
One thing is certain, the relationship between Primeau and the Canadian seems broken forever.
His departure, whether via waiver or a trade, is no longer a question of “if” but “when.”
For the Canadian, this will be a closed chapter in a long reconstruction process.
For Primeau, it will be another chance, but this time far from the Montreal spotlight. Whether in Laval or elsewhere in the NHL, he must leave the CH…before it is too late…
The fact that poor Cayden warmed the bench in Detroit, while CH had two games in two nights and he had not kept goals since December 1, was the last straw for the Primeau.
Detroit is a city that holds a special place in their history. It was there that Keith Primeau, father of Cayden, was selected third overall by the Red Wings in the 1990 draft.
For nine seasons, Keith left his mark on the organization forever, becoming a respected player and leader on the ice.
For the Primeaus, seeing Cayden marginalized in such a symbolic place feels like a public humiliation.
According to a source close to the family, “they are furious to see Cayden being treated this way. Cayden's father absolutely wants his son to be placed on waivers to leave this endless nightmare.
This situation fuels growing resentment towards the Montreal organization, perceived as responsible for the failure of the young goalkeeper's development.
Martin St-Louis' decision not to use Primeau during this home-and-away series, despite a busy schedule and NHL customs, is seen as an affront.
For Keith Primeau, this treatment would be a clear demonstration that Cayden no longer has his place in the Habs' plans.
Meanwhile, the shadow of Jakub Dobes hangs over Cayden Primeau. TVA Sports reports that Dobes, currently the number one goalie in Laval, is “on the verge” of being recalled to Montreal.
His rapid progression and solid performance with the Rocket make him worth a recall.
Dobes displays a consistency which places him as a logical choice to assist Samuel Montembeault in the near future.
His imminent arrival means that Primeau should be subject to waivers after Christmas.
According to TVA Sports, the Canadian could wait until after Christmas to make a final decision on Primeau. Submitting the young goaltender to waivers seems more and more inevitable.
Hard to say if he will be claimed by another team. Even if a team decided to take a gamble on him, the Canadian has little to lose.
Cayden Primeau's current situation in Montreal has become untenable. With a furious family, a Jakub Dibes ready to replace him, and performances that no longer justify his place in the lineup or even in the NHL, everything indicates that his departure is imminent.
If Primeau goes on waivers after Christmas, as TVA Sports predicts, it will be the end of an era marked by unmet expectations and missed opportunities.
Both on the side of Primeau and the Montreal Canadiens. In this saga, there are two culprits.
For the Canadian, it is time to turn the page and prepare for the future with Dobes, then Jacob Fowler.
For Primeau, whether he is claimed on waivers or heads to Laval, it will be a new chance, but one filled with anger and disillusionment with an organization that, according to his family, failed to maximize his potential. .
