Canadiens sign RFA Primeau on multi year deal

*Photo from the Alberta Prime Times*

   We have another RFA contract taken care of in the hockey world. The Montreal Canadiens and G Cayden Primeau have agreed to a 3 year, $2.67 million deal, according to an announcement by the Canadiens.

   The 23 year old Primeau was an RFA this offseason, and was the last remaining Canadiens RFA. He's now under contract and will compete for the backup goalie job. He has an AAV of $890,000 in his new deal, with no bonuses attached. He will be an RFA once again when his deal expires at the end of the 2024-2025 season.

   Primeau was originally selected by the Canadiens in the 7th round of the 2017 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut in the 2019-2020 season, and has spent most of his professional days with the AHL Laval Rocket, helping them to the AHL Eastern Conference Finals in last year's playoffs.

   Asked about his mindset entering training camp, Primeau said that "I think I'm just going into it with an open mind. I have to perform and I have a job to do. But at the same time, I put some standards in place in the past and it hasn't really worked out to my benefit, so what I'm really trying to do is just go back to the basics, just take it day by day. Just try to keep rolling on the momentum from the playoffs and try to just give it my best. I think that's my main focus going into this camp."

   Last season was Primeau's busiest in the NHL to date. He ended the regular season with a 1-7-1 record, recording a 4.62 GAA and .868 save percentage, making 3 quality starts amidst 9 overall starts and 3 appearances in relief.

   Primeau's career has not included much NHL action so far. In his NHL career, he has a 3-10-2 record with 6 quality starts. He has posted a 4.21 GAA and .874 save percentage, making 15 starts and 3 relief outings in a small sample size at the NHL level.

   When training camp opens, Primeau will compete with Sam Montembeault for the backup goalie job behind Jake Allen, with Carey Price out for the season, and perhaps his career. This offseason, the Canadiens have brought in Kirby Dach, Evgenii Dadonov, and Sean Monahan.