Back on June 30, the Montreal Canadiens traded goaltender Cayden Primeau to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick. The trade was understandable, as Primeau fell down the Canadiens' depth chart and was placed on waivers by them in December. Furthermore, Jakub Dobes ended up playing very well after being called up to the Canadiens' roster, so it was time for Montreal to move on from Primeau.
In 11 appearances with the Canadiens during the 2024-25 season, Primeau had a 2-3-1 record, a .836 save percentage, and a 4.70 goals-against average. Overall, it was a rough year at the NHL level for the 2017 seventh-round pick.
While things did not go well for Primeau this past season with the Canadiens, the potential for him to turn things around and break out with the Hurricanes should not be ruled out. With Primeau being just 25 years old, it could still be possible for him to prove that he can be a legitimate NHL goaltender. This is especially so when noting that he has now gotten a much-needed fresh start.
Primeau also simply dominated after being sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season. In 26 games with the Laval Rocket, he had a 21-2-2 record, a .927 save percentage, and a 1.26 goals-against average. Those are excellent numbers, so it makes sense that a team that needs more goalie depth, like the Hurricanes, are taking a shot on him.
Furthermore, before struggling this past season while with the Canadiens, Primeau performed well for them in 2023-24. In 23 games with Montreal that campaign, he had a .910 save percentage and a 2.99 goals-against average. Perhaps he could get back to this form on a team with a strong defensive group like the Hurricanes.
When looking at the Hurricanes' roster, Primeau should serve as a call-up option for them. However, with the Michigan native still being young and getting a much-needed change of scenery, he very well could improve his game as a member of the Hurricanes. It will be intriguing to see if he does just that from here.
Ex-Canadiens Goalie Signed NHL's Most Unique Off-Season DealHeading into July 1, former Montreal Canadien Jake Allen was the clear top pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) goalie who could hit the market. Due to this, there was expected to be a ton of interest in the 34-year-old, and he was in a position to land a high average annual value (AAV) had he tested the market.
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