In 2024-25, the Canadiens will finally begin a season with a modicum of stability in front of the net. There will be no three-goal household, and Samuel Montembeault should be the team’s true number one.
For Cayden Primeau, this will be his first NHL start as a true number-two goaltender.
For former NHL goaltender and TVA Sports contributor Éric Fichaud, it may not be for long.
During TVA Sports’ special broadcast of the Canadiens golf tournament on Monday, Fichaud explained that Primeau may not be the ideal candidate to back up Samuel Montembeault.
“I’m convinced Primeau won’t finish the year in Montreal” – Éric Fichaud
Fichaud explained that Montembeault improved last year, especially in aspects that you can’t necessarily see from the statistics. What he has noticed is that the Québécois has learned to concede fewer bad goals.
In Primeau’s case, Fichaud didn’t like the young goalie’s performance in 2023-24. He didn’t like the consistency of Primeau, who could play like a star player one game, but give up five or six goals the next.
We agree that Primeau is still young and needs to learn the ropes in the NHL. He needs to be given time, but that’s exactly the problem Fichaud was trying to point out.
While Primeau is trying to learn, he may not be the best option available to back up Montembeault. Fichaud would like the Canadiens to make a transaction during the season, to bring in a veteran goaltender to help Montembeault.
But wouldn’t Kent Hughes return to the same problem Montreal had in recent years with Jake Allen and Montembeault?
There’s no doubt that the Canadiens’ No. 35 could improve even more with an experienced goaltender at his side to give him advice, but I think Kent Hughes will prioritize stability in front of the net this season.
That’s something we haven’t been lucky enough to have in Montreal in recent years.
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