Just a few hours after the Montreal Canadiens announced that Cayden Primeau had been extended a qualifying offer, the team traded those retained rights to the Carolina Hurricanes, acquiring a seventh-round selection in 2026 as compensation.
It was a trade of a seventh-round pick, from the Philadelphia Flyers back in 2017, that initially allowed the Canadiens to draft Primeau into the organization. After signing whis entry-level contract at the end of Northeastern University’s season in 2019, Primeau spent six season in the Habs’ system.
Montreal gave him a handful of chances to become the backup in the NHL, providing a total of 45 starts. It looked like he was finally beginning to find his footing when a three-goalie tandem came to an end with the trade of Jake Allen last year as Primeau finished the season with a .910 save percentage and two shutout. After a poor start to 2024-25, however, he finished the year in the AHL, where he posted among the best numbers of any goalie in the minors.
The move is an indication that Jacob Fowler will be the starter in the AHL for the 2025-26 season, while Jakub Dobeš, who was also extended a qualifying offer on Monday, seems to be in line to reprise his role as the backup to Samuel Montembeault on the NHL roster.
