Montreal Canadiens: Cayden Primeau Sent Down, But Could Still Be Habs Number Two Goalie
The Montreal Canadiens announced this morning that Cayden Primeau was sent down to the Laval Rocket and Charlie Lindgren was called up. It’s still possible that Primeau is still considered the Habs number two goaltender.
The Montreal Canadiens announced today that Cayden Primeau has been sent down to the Laval Rocket. In a subsequent move, Charlie Lindgren was called up to the Habs roster and will serve as the backup goaltender to Carey Price for tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Though it may not seem like it on the surface, this is not necessarily a demotion for Primeau. The 20 year old goaltender was called up last week to make his NHL debut against the Colorado Avalanche. They scored two goals on him in the opening period but he really shut them down for the remainder of the game, keeping it close as the Habs ultimately fell 3-2 to an offensive powerhouse.
Primeau earned himself another start and was in goal when the Habs beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overtime earlier this week. It was the rookie goaltender’s first NHL win and he cerintaly played well enough to be the guy that gives Price a break from time to time.
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The problem with being Price’s backup is you don’t get a ton of action. Price is making $10.5 million this year for a reason. The Habs are going to lean heavily on him, so whoever the backup is, he is only going to play once every couple of weeks.
That was supposed to be Keith Kinkaid‘s job. He was signed on July 1st to a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the intention he would start 15-20 games to give Price a breather when the schedule is busy. However, Kinkaid has struggled, allowing at least four goals in each of his five starts for the Canadiens.
Kinkaid was sent down to the Laval Rocket early this month and allowed five goals in his first start. He came on in relief of an injured Charlie Lindgren the next day and played well but will serve as the backup for the Rocket for the third straight game today.
That’s because Primeau will get the start this afternoon when the Rocket take on the Rochester Americans. Although Primeau will start for Laval today and Lindgren will serve as Price’s backup for the Habs, I’d be willing to bet that Primeau will get another start with the Habs before Lindgren.
The Canadiens have had the past two days off and have two more days off after facing the Red Wings today. Then they begin a road trip out west, but the schedule is pretty favourable for them. They do not play any back-to-backs while taking on the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets over the course of seven days.
Following that road trip, the Habs have four days off for the Christmas break. Price could easily start the next five games leading up to the break and there is no point having a 20 year old backup sitting on the bench watching all of those games.
Meanwhile, the Rocket play three games before their Christmas break, so Primeau can start at least two of those, if not all three, while waiting for his next start with the Canadiens. The Habs return from the Christmas break with games on consecutive nights against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, then face the Carolina Hurricanes on New Year’s Eve after just one night off.
This leads into a busy January schedule that sees the Habs play ten games in the first 18 days of the month. That means the team is playing 13 games in just 21 days following their Christmas break. Even Carey Price is going to need a few nights off during that stretch.
It’s unlikely we see Lindgren with the Habs during that time as Primeau has played well enough in both the AHL and NHL to earn the role as Price’s backup. If Primeau is going to be well prepared for that busy stretch, he can’t sit on the bench for the next two weeks.
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I think we are going to see Primeau start a handful of games for the Rocket in the next two weeks while Lindgren watches Price start for the Habs. When it comes time for Price to actually take a break, Primeau will be the one that gives him a night off, not Lindgren.