Latest news with #Primeau
Ottawa Citizen
a day ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Cayden Primeau's run with Canadiens organization appears to be over
Article content Cayden Primeau can take credit for helping the Laval Rocket finish first overall in the AHL this season. Article content But as Primeau heads into an uncertain summer, the Rocket goaltender must accept his share of the blame for being unable to help the Rocket get past the Charlotte Checkers in the recent Eastern Conference final. Article content 'It was a tough ending. You never want to go out without winning, but we can be really proud of what we accomplished this year,' Primeau said during the team's recent end-of-season media availability after being swept by Charlotte. 'You have to give it to (Charlotte); they're a great team. There's only one winner at the end of the day. There's a lot of unhappy teams. It takes a lot to get to where we did. We can be proud of that.' Article content Article content Primeau, 25, was 21-2-2 this season with Laval. His goals-against average was a scintillating 1.96. His save percentage was .927 and he had two shutouts — one in his second game after clearing waivers and being loaned to the Rocket on Dec. 29 after struggling again with the Canadiens. Article content Article content Selected in the seventh round (199th overall) in 2017, Primeau was 2-3-1 with Montreal this season over 11 games with a 4.70 GAA and .836 save percentage. In what might have been his final appearance on Dec. 12, he allowed three goals on seven shots in relief of Samuel Montembeault during a 9-2 Bell Centre loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Article content 'To say I was playing my best hockey (with Montreal), I'd be lying,' Primeau said. 'The team at the beginning of the year — I think everyone knows it — wasn't the team that was playing in the playoffs. Coming to Laval … you don't have many bad days. You want to be in the NHL, but when you're in Laval, it's a great opportunity.' Article content Article content Primeau was recalled by the Canadiens on April 27 — but never played — after Montembeault suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 of their opening-round playoff series against Washington. Primeau backed up Jakub Dobes the next two games before Montreal was eliminated, then returned for Laval's post-season run. Article content But Primeau was inconsistent in the playoffs for the Rocket, with a 3.27 average and .878 save percentage over eight games. While he shut out Rochester in the deciding game of the North Division final, he was exposed by Charlotte, allowing 12 goals over portions of three games. Article content Article content Primeau was removed in the second period of both the second and third games after allowing four goals in each contest. Laval head coach Pascal Vincent then started Jacob Fowler in Game 4, a 3-2 loss. Article content 'To start, it's not an easy league,' Primeau said. 'It's a grind. It was an emotional series before, going to Game 5 against a good (Rochester) team. A lot of guys gave everything they had in that series and into that fifth game. I don't think I handled it well in terms of (preparing for Charlotte). Going into that series and falling down early, we were chasing the series from the get-go. I think that was the biggest thing.'
Montreal Gazette
a day ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Cayden Primeau's run with Canadiens organization appears to be over
Laval Rocket Cayden Primeau can take credit for helping the Laval Rocket finish first overall in the AHL this season. But as Primeau heads into an uncertain summer, the Rocket goaltender must accept his share of the blame for being unable to help the Rocket get past the Charlotte Checkers in the recent Eastern Conference final. 'It was a tough ending. You never want to go out without winning, but we can be really proud of what we accomplished this year,' Primeau said during the team's recent end-of-season media availability after being swept by Charlotte. 'You have to give it to (Charlotte); they're a great team. There's only one winner at the end of the day. There's a lot of unhappy teams. It takes a lot to get to where we did. We can be proud of that.' Primeau, 25, was 21-2-2 this season with Laval. His goals-against average was a scintillating 1.96. His save percentage was .927 and he had two shutouts — one in his second game after clearing waivers and being loaned to the Rocket on Dec. 29 after struggling again with the Canadiens. Selected in the seventh round (199th overall) in 2017, Primeau was 2-3-1 with Montreal this season over 11 games with a 4.70 GAA and .836 save percentage. In what might have been his final appearance on Dec. 12, he allowed three goals on seven shots in relief of Samuel Montembeault during a 9-2 Bell Centre loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 'To say I was playing my best hockey (with Montreal), I'd be lying,' Primeau said. 'The team at the beginning of the year — I think everyone knows it — wasn't the team that was playing in the playoffs. Coming to Laval ... you don't have many bad days. You want to be in the NHL, but when you're in Laval, it's a great opportunity.' Primeau was recalled by the Canadiens on April 27 — but never played — after Montembeault suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 of their opening-round playoff series against Washington. Primeau backed up Jakub Dobes the next two games before Montreal was eliminated, then returned for Laval's post-season run. But Primeau was inconsistent in the playoffs for the Rocket, with a 3.27 average and .878 save percentage over eight games. While he shut out Rochester in the deciding game of the North Division final, he was exposed by Charlotte, allowing 12 goals over portions of three games. Primeau was removed in the second period of both the second and third games after allowing four goals in each contest. Laval head coach Pascal Vincent then started Jacob Fowler in Game 4, a 3-2 loss. 'To start, it's not an easy league,' Primeau said. 'It's a grind. It was an emotional series before, going to Game 5 against a good (Rochester) team. A lot of guys gave everything they had in that series and into that fifth game. I don't think I handled it well in terms of (preparing for Charlotte). Going into that series and falling down early, we were chasing the series from the get-go. I think that was the biggest thing.' Primeau has rarely found success with the Canadiens, but generally has been stellar in the AHL. He might be destined to spend his career in the minors, although Vincent has repeatedly said that Primeau is a big-league netminder. But should Primeau ascend to the NHL on a regular basis, it's unlikely to be with the Canadiens. Between Montembeault and Dobes, Montreal is set. It's also obvious Fowler, who joined the Rocket late in the season from Boston College, will be Laval's first-string netminder next season. It would appear a change of scenery is necessary for Primeau at this stage of his career. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Primeau was reluctant to discuss his future while addressing the media for nine minutes, still trying to overcome the bitter taste from the playoff defeat. 'The season just ended,' he said. 'I haven't looked too much into it. I'm not the one who makes those decisions. Montreal has my rights. We had a great team and can be proud of what we accomplished to get to where we did in the regular season as well. 'It's a big summer, and I'm excited.'
Ottawa Citizen
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Todd: Cayden Primeau's stock plummets along with Rocket's AHL title hopes
Article content It happened to Laval's Cayden Primeau in Charlotte on Sunda y and if Primeau was fortunate in anything, it's that it was an AHL game in a distinctly minor-league arena. Article content For the second straight game, Primeau was awful. He gave up four goals on 16 shots before he was again relieved by young Jacob Fowler — and there wasn't a good goal among them. Primeau consistently took himself out of the play, failed to track the puck, flopped and floundered. Article content Article content The contrast when Fowler came in was brutal. Fowler made saves look easy, simply by being in position and refusing to panic. If you didn't know better, you would have sworn that Primeau was the 20-year-old and Fowler was the one about to turn 26 in August. Article content Article content Laval head coach Pascal Vincent was on the defensive after, trying to explain why he went back to Primeau. Fowler might have kept the Rocket in it against the experienced Checkers, but it's doubtful he could have won the series, which Laval trails three games to zero going into Game 4 in Charlotte Tuesday night. Article content It's really boys against men, young prospects facing NHL veterans like winger Jesse Puljujarvi, goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen and 35-year-old centreman Zac Dalpe. Fowler might be the only player on the entire Laval roster who has had a good series, while coming on in relief. Article content But the real damage has been done to Primeau's career. A restricted free agent attempting to attract the interest of another NHL team after a successful season and two solid rounds in the playoffs, Primeau has once again demonstrated a tendency to come undone under pressure. Article content Article content When you aspire to be a goaltender in the NHL, it's not a good look. Article content Article content Sir James: The Alouettes' quarterback situation seems pretty well set with Davis Alexander anointed as the starter, McLeod Bethel-Thompson to back him up and Caleb Evans as third string. Article content But after watching some of the throws James Morgan made in an exhibition game on a soggy Friday night in Ottawa, he showed enough for the team to keep him on the roster. A 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback with an arm like that? Whew! Article content Queen Victoria: Canadian successes on the women's side of tennis have been scarce of late. Leylah Fernandez doesn't have the hit, Bianca Andreescu doesn't have the head and when last seen, Genie Bouchard was losing at the trendy sport of pickleball.
Montreal Gazette
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Todd: Cayden Primeau's stock plummets along with Rocket's AHL title hopes
Laval Rocket Hockey is cruel. If you have a weakness, it will be exposed — ruthlessly, and with the world watching. It happened to Laval's Cayden Primeau in Charlotte on Sunda y and if Primeau was fortunate in anything, it's that it was an AHL game in a distinctly minor-league arena. For the second straight game, Primeau was awful. He gave up four goals on 16 shots before he was again relieved by young Jacob Fowler — and there wasn't a good goal among them. Primeau consistently took himself out of the play, failed to track the puck, flopped and floundered. The contrast when Fowler came in was brutal. Fowler made saves look easy, simply by being in position and refusing to panic. If you didn't know better, you would have sworn that Primeau was the 20-year-old and Fowler was the one about to turn 26 in August. Laval head coach Pascal Vincent was on the defensive after, trying to explain why he went back to Primeau. Fowler might have kept the Rocket in it against the experienced Checkers, but it's doubtful he could have won the series, which Laval trails three games to zero going into Game 4 in Charlotte Tuesday night. It's really boys against men, young prospects facing NHL veterans like winger Jesse Puljujarvi, goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen and 35-year-old centreman Zac Dalpe. Fowler might be the only player on the entire Laval roster who has had a good series, while coming on in relief. But the real damage has been done to Primeau's career. A restricted free agent attempting to attract the interest of another NHL team after a successful season and two solid rounds in the playoffs, Primeau has once again demonstrated a tendency to come undone under pressure. When you aspire to be a goaltender in the NHL, it's not a good look. Sir James: The Alouettes' quarterback situation seems pretty well set with Davis Alexander anointed as the starter, McLeod Bethel-Thompson to back him up and Caleb Evans as third string. But after watching some of the throws James Morgan made in an exhibition game on a soggy Friday night in Ottawa, he showed enough for the team to keep him on the roster. A 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback with an arm like that? Whew! Queen Victoria: Canadian successes on the women's side of tennis have been scarce of late. Leylah Fernandez doesn't have the hit, Bianca Andreescu doesn't have the head and when last seen, Genie Bouchard was losing at the trendy sport of pickleball. Enter 18-year-old Victoria Mboko, who made it to the third round at Roland Garros with a combination of power and style. Sir Charles: ESPN has been on a bizarre campaign to promote Minnesota's Anthony Edwards as 'the face of the league' for a while, with on-air personalities mouthing the identical phrase so many times that you just knew they had to be saying this stuff on instructions from some suit in a corner office. Enter my hero, Charles Barkley, who called out ESPN: 'The face of the league,' Barkley said, is not Edwards, who isn't even on the all-NBA first team. It's Canadian MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Serbian Nikola Jokic and the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Not an American in the bunch. Court jesters: In the latest lap of a grotesque season, CF Montréal was demolished 3-0 at home by the mediocre New England Revolution on Saturday. Then, according to La Presse journalist Jean-Francois Téotonio, interim coach Marco Donadel came out to face the media, sat down, said he was proud of his players, then got up and left. Not a single player showed up, apparently because of a club decision. This is beyond bush league. Joey Saputo has done a great job with Bologna in Serie A, but he has failed utterly with his entry in MLS, where the performance (and behaviour) verges on catastrophe. Mad Max: Max Verstappen is the most talented driver on the F1 circuit. Like Michael Schumacher 30 years ago, Verstappen is simply better than everyone else. And like the young Schumacher, Verstappen is a menace on the track. He can't stand to lose and when he does, he's apt to lash out on the track — as he did Sunday in Barcelona, when he ran into George Russell. Asked about the crash after the race, Verstappen flashed his nasty side: 'Well, I'll bring some tissues next time.' Verstappen should have been black-flagged in Barcelona. As long as the stewards still treat him like a god, he will remain a menace on the track. KK is OK: We always like to see athletes shattering stereotypes. Former Canadiens like Saku Koivu and Artturi Lehkonen have made us believe that all Finns are smart hockey players — but Jesperi Kotkaniemi has done away with that stereotype for all time. Heroes: Victoria Mboko, Adriana Leon, Desiree Scott, Marco Arop, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Lois Boisson &&&& last but not least, Ivan Demidov — KHL rookie of the year. Zeros: Max Verstappen, Daryl Katz, Vincent Viola, Stan Bowman, Zion Williamson, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Christine Brennan, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Wayne Gretzky, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least, Jeffrey Loria. Now and forever.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Canadiens: Rocket Qualifies For Conference Final Thanks To Primeau's Perfect Game
Canadiens: Rocket Qualifies For Conference Final Thanks To Primeau's Perfect Game Nobody said it would be easy when the Montreal Canadiens' farm team, the Laval Rocket, qualified for the divisional final against the Buffalo Sabres' farm team, the Rochester Americans. Laval had won the regular season championship, but Rochester had quite an impressive roster, including a solid goaltender in Devon Levi, one of the league leaders in points in the postseason in Kale Clague, and Jiri Kulic, who spent most of the season in the NHL. The series was decided in a fifth and ultimate game Sunday at Place Bell, and the locals pitched a perfect game to prevail and qualify for the Conference final. 2:46 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
