The Canadiens Need an NHL Backup Goaltender

After witnessing yet another game (the Bruins’ Centennial Game) in which Cayden Primeau allowed several goals (five this time) and posted an alarming low save percentage (.828), it is time the Canadiens looked internally or externally for a capable NHL backup goaltender. In his career, Primeau has now appeared in 54 NHL games, starting 45 of them.  He has won all of 13 games and has posted a 3.64 career GAA with a .886 save percentage.

This season, Primeau has appeared in 10 games, winning two and posting a 4.45 GAA and an .844 save percentage.   Those numbers are dismal and heading in the wrong direction.  While the Canadiens’ team defence is young and anything but elite, Cayden Primeau remains the most steady Hab, consistently failing to make key saves and posting numbers that make it clear he is not ready for the show and probably never will be.

Primeau’s performance has had a ripple effect through the team.  Sam Montembeault has had to start the overwhelming majority of games as a result of Primeau’s struggles.  Between his starts and the games Primeau has been pulled, Montembeault has appeared in 20 of the Canadiens’ first 26 games this season.  Sam Montembeault is not Carey Price and the extra reps for Montembeault has no doubt weighed on Montembeault’s performance as his save percentage has been below .900 for most of the season, which is below the performance he posted over the last few years.

We all know that Kent Hughes had the Canadiens carry three goalies for much of last year for fear that Primeau would be picked up on waivers.  They also traded veteran Jake Allen last year due to his age as the Canadiens were rebuilding and it seemed possible that Primeau at age 25 was more likely to be part of the future.  At the quarter mark of this season, it seems clear that Primeau will not be in the Canadiens’ long-term plans.

If we look back a number of years ago, Patrick Roy’s replacement at the time, Jocelyn Thibault, was having challenges.  In the 1997 offseason, the Habs signed Andy Moog as a free agent.  Moog not only posted solid numbers himself but Thibault had one of his better seasons in Montreal.  The lesson:  If you do not have a Price-like goaltender, you need a capable backup who can more equitably share the starts, spell the other netminder when he inevitably experiences some challenges, and take some pressure off your number one goaltender.   When the Canadiens signed Moog, they not only added a solid NHL veteran goaltender, but they in essence acquired two goalies.

Presently, the Canadiens had one NHL-calibre netminder but Montembeault’s numbers and performance are being dragged down because he is overused.  And Montembeault is playing too much because the team, for good reason, has little confidence in Primeau.  Cayden Primeau is simply not an NHL goalie at this time.

The Habs may not have to look too far to replace Primeau.   Both goalies in Laval have played well.  Primeau’s chances of getting claimed on waivers have diminished considerably over the last few months.  And if he gets claimed, oh well.

Why not?  It cannot get much worse.