The ax has fallen.
The Ottawa Senators find themselves in a catastrophic position.
Linus Ullmark, their star goalkeeper, went down in action, his injury being described as “week-to-week”, a polite term for his return could take weeks or even months.
And now, the Montreal Canadiens, long seen as an adversary in reconstruction, are just one point away from the last playoff spot, occupied by Ottawa.
But what is making people cringe in the national capital is this news circulating behind the scenes: Senators general manager Steve Staios would have had the opportunity to strengthen his goalie brigade by claiming Cayden Primeau on waivers.
A missed opportunity which, today, resonates like a slap in the face of the organization.
When the Canadiens placed Primeau on waivers on December 27, the Senators were among the many teams in need of a goaltender.
With Linus Ullmark already on one leg and Anton Forsberg uncertain, it would have been logical to try it with Primeau. For free, too.
But Staios, in his great wisdom, decided to pass. The justifications were vague, and several journalists in Ottawa are beginning to seriously doubt the decisions of the new DG.
How can a team that claims to want to make the playoffs miss such an obvious opportunity?
After letting Primeau go without claiming him, Staios allegedly tried to rectify the situation by approaching Kent Hughes to discuss a transaction involving Primeau.
The idea?
Make an “American League” trade that would allow the Senators to get Primeau back while preventing him from having to go through waivers again. A horrible tactic that failed spectacularly.
According to several sources close to the Montreal organization, Hughes quickly closed the door on this request, emphasizing that there was no question of helping a direct division rival, much less an opponent in the playoff race.
The Canadiens GM would even have been categorical: “Primeau will not be traded to Ottawa. Period.”
The Senators, who are desperately clinging to their playoff spot, today find themselves with a goaltending situation worthy of a joke.
Ullmark is on the sidelines indefinitely, and the options behind him are laughable. Mads Søgaard, urgently recalled from Belleville, is far from having proven that he can hold the fort in the long term.
As for Leevi Meriläinen, there is no need to explain to you that he is not the solution.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, Jakub Dobes shines brightly, reinforcing every day the impression that Primeau was surplus to requirements in the organization.
But this surplus could have been a lifeline for Ottawa.
Instead, the Senators are trapped in their own incompetence, and local reporters are quick to point the finger at Steve Staios.
“Primeau was there, available, and we preferred to ignore him. Now, we are crying over our fate. It’s pathetic,” we could hear on TSN 1200.
What makes the situation even more humiliating for Ottawa is the obvious contrast with Montreal. While the Senators were floundering in a net-front crisis, the Canadiens watched Dobes pitch a shutout in his NHL debut and then steal the Colorado Avalanche.
A calm, confident and already mature goalkeeper, who demonstrates that the Montreal organization has what it takes to see it coming.
Primeau, for his part, returned to winning ways with the Laval Rocket, and the goalie still thinks he’s an NHL goalie.
The ironic thing is that even a goaltender in a precarious situation like his would have been an improvement for the Senators right now.
The Ottawa Senators have long positioned themselves as a team ready to take a step forward this season.
Expectations were high. But the gaps in squad management are starting to accumulate, and the goalkeeper situation is the most glaring symptom.
Steve Staios, still new to his role, is quickly losing the trust of fans and the media. His refusal to claim Primeau, followed by his desperate attempt to recover him via a trade, proves his confused and inconsistent management.
With a Canadian on the rise and only one point behind them, the Senators risk seeing their playoff position slip through their fingers.
And when they look back to identify the key moments in their collapse, that decision not to claim Primeau could well be at the top of the list.
The reality is simple: Ottawa is in crisis, and the solutions are not there. Meanwhile, Montreal, once considered a rebuilding rival, is showing clear signs of progress.
Criticism of Staios is not limited to Ottawa. Throughout the NHL, this decision is seen as a monumental failure.
Primeau, although far from a rising star, represented a reasonable and inexpensive option to stabilize the situation.
Not having asked for it, and then begging Montreal to give it up via a trade, is a gesture that tarnishes the credibility of the organization.
The Ottawa Senators shot themselves in the foot by ignoring Cayden Primeau. Now they are paying the price for their inaction and mismanagement.
Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens, led by prodigy Jakub Dobes, prove that the reconstruction can be carried out well with a clear vision.
For Ottawa, time is running out, but options are running out. The fans deserve better. Unfortunately, as long as inconsistent decisions persist, the Senators will remain stuck in a cycle of failure and regret.
The CH is breathing down their necks for the series. And Kent Hughes is never, ever going to help them by sending Cayden Primeau.
Might as well lose him for nothing as a restricted free agent this summer.
The series have become the priority. All of Quebec believes in it.
