When I found out Cayden Primeau had been recalled by the Canadians, I thought Jake Allen or Samuel Montembeault had suffered an injury. This was not the case. my theory? Kent Hughes has issued Primeau with a possible summer trade on the horizon.
I don’t think for a second that we wanted to judge Primeau because the staff know very well where he stands. He can play in the NHL, but he’s not ready for a number one role. It couldn’t be clearer. But while I liked his performance in Philadelphia, I don’t think that changed his rating.
In his case, the problem was always consistency. So it will take several games to see if he can string together the right outings. So I assume I’ll see him again at the end of the season with the Canadian, but that depends on the calendar and Rocket’s situation.
Should Jean-François Houle’s formation ever come out of the playoff race, I have the impression that we will see Primeau in front of the CH net again. We won’t hear anything new about Allen and Montembeault for the next two weeks.
Primeau will turn 24 in August and could be subject to exemptions in the event of a recall next year. That’s the process that brought Montembeault to Montreal on October 2, 2021 at the age of 24 and could see CH Primeau lose next season.
transaction in sight
General manager Kent Hughes is already thinking about the future and as I recently wrote, finding a promising goalkeeper with the future number one label is a priority. It will go through the draft or through a transaction.
How about two new hopefuls in the organization? I could picture a talented 21-year-old pro taking first place at Laval while Montembeault and Allen continue their work in Montreal.
Primeau could be part of such a transaction. Obviously Hughes would have to give something else to get a more talented goalie.
Let’s be realistic. Time flies and Primeau has yet to burn the American League. However, he was the organization’s great hope and we saw him as bigger than Montembeault. But when you’re 24 and haven’t won over your bosses, change is on the horizon.
It happens all the time and it’s not the end of the world or the end of a career. It happened to Montembeault, who had to leave the Panthers in 2021. He took his second chance with CH. It wasn’t easy in the beginning and he struggled, but we have to give him credit. He changed the situation and surpassed Primeau in the Montreal hierarchy. All credit goes to him and it’s good to see a Quebec goalkeeper in Montreal.
Hughes is proactive
I think Hughes is proactive on the Primeau case, as he is on all his other cases. By the way, his business has been quite successful since he took office.
However, every game Primeau plays matters for the rest of his career, whether in Montreal or elsewhere. I’d like to see him play three or four close games with the Canadiens, but the end of the season is getting closer.
I hope to see Primeau again soon and take my hat off to him. He was solid and I saw a goalkeeper who had gained experience. Also, he wasn’t put in an easy situation because he was called back on the spot. He didn’t have time to practice and adjust to the pace of the NHL.
– Interview by Gilles Moffet
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Quebecers with the CH
A bit like the watchman Samuel Montembault, Canadiens striker Rafaël Harvey-Pinard is exceeding expectations and showing former Canadiens manager Serge Savard’s approach was right. He never wanted to miss the opportunity to hire Quebecers because he knew what it means for them to play for the Canadians. They give a little bit more and I’ve always believed the same. Kent Hughes thinks so too. For example, Savard has had success with the likes of Gilbert Dionne and Stephan Lebeau. Another excellent move by Hughes was the acquisition of Michael Matheson in exchange for Jeff Petry. Matheson, a West Island guy, really impresses me.
“Tiger” Pezetta
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
I had to laugh heartily when I saw the celebration Michael Pezzetta after scoring Monday’s penalty shootout in Buffalo. It had been a long time since we had seen a Tiger Williams impersonation and it was successful. Some were offended by his gesture, but I don’t mind as long as it doesn’t happen too often. It would piss me off to see Nick Suzuki or Cole Caufield celebrate like that, but with players like Pezzetta it can happen on occasion. And also, we introduced filming for the show, so we might as well go all the way for the “show.”
Greer’s gesture
File photo, Portal
If I approve of Michael Pezzetta’s gesture, I am in no way endorsing the double failure ofAJ Greer to Mike Hoffman. Can’t believe Green only got a one-game ban for his gesture. Like Hoffman, I do not understand the decision of the disciplinary prefect George Parros. Sometimes things like this happen in the heat of the moment and it’s semi-forgivable, but before a duel there’s no excuse.
