Habs Mailbag: Canadiens goalie Cayden Primeau is testing GM's patience

If Cayden Primeau’s struggles proceed, when would you set him on waivers in favour of a promotion for Jakub Dobes from the AHL’s Laval Rocket?

Darren — Habs and Avs on X — @DK4lighting

I’d have been prepared to try this after Primeau allowed 5 objectives on 14 pictures earlier than being changed by Sam Montembeault in Monday’s 7-5 win over the Sabres in Buffalo, throughout which the Canadiens allowed just one high-danger scoring likelihood. However GM Kent Hughes has much more religion in Primeau than I do and far more endurance. I think about Hughes will wait fairly a bit longer — even when Primeau struggles once more in his subsequent begin — particularly for the reason that Canadiens’ hopes of being “within the combine” for a playoff spot are principally gone already as they sit in final place within the total NHL standings with a 5-10-2 report and so they can stay up for one other excessive draft decide subsequent 12 months.

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Hughes believes one other crew would declare Primeau on waivers if he tried to ship him to Laval, which is why the Canadiens saved three goalies for many of final season. That is the final season of Primeau’s contract and Hughes want to get one thing in return for the 25-year-old goalie if he’s going to lose him. I can’t think about that may be a lot.

The goaltender place is a big query in the meanwhile. What’s Jacob Fowler’s ETA within the massive leagues?

Jason A Myers

Fowler is dominating on the NCAA stage for the second straight season at Boston School with a 7-1-0 report, three shutouts, a 1.26 goals-against common and a .950 save proportion. If he can preserve that stage of play, it will make sense for him to show professional on the finish of this season and get some video games with the Rocket and possibly even the Canadiens. If that occurs, count on the Canadiens to offer Fowler — who turns 20 on Nov. 25 — an extended have a look at coaching camp subsequent 12 months to resolve if he is likely to be able to play within the NHL. If Fowler isn’t prepared for the NHL subsequent 12 months, a full season within the AHL gained’t damage him.

When is Lane Hutson going to interchange Mike Matheson on the primary power-play unit?

Deborah Hart

I’d wish to see Hutson on the primary power-play unit with Matheson as a substitute of changing him.

One factor Hutson doesn’t have is an enormous shot, which is a purpose why he has but to attain a purpose in 19 profession NHL video games to go together with his 12 assists. Hutson is a implausible playmaker, however you additionally must have the specter of an enormous shot from the purpose on an influence play — one thing Matheson has. I feel the 2 of them would complement one another nicely on the primary PP unit. The Canadiens’ energy play ranks ninth within the NHL this season with a 22 per cent success price, so it’s not prefer it’s not working with Matheson. I feel it might be even higher if Hutson joined Matheson on the primary unit.

Who sits when Patrik Laine and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard are set to return?

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Lori & Wade on X — @Lori84110873

It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the Canadiens resolve to maintain Harvey-Pinard or ship him to Laval when he’s able to return from the damaged leg he suffered this summer season. In the event that they preserve him, I count on Lucas Condotta might be headed again to Laval and both Alex Newhook or Kirby Dach will return to enjoying centre.

If each Harvey-Pinard and Laine are able to return to the lineup collectively, Harvey-Pinard might be the odd man out. I’d be stunned if the Canadiens sit out Emil Heineman, who turned 23 on Saturday and appears like he has a future with the crew. I additionally assume the Canadiens could be hesitant to take a seat out Joel Armia as a result of they are going to be hoping to get one thing for him forward of the NHL commerce deadline on March 7 since he’s within the ultimate 12 months of his contract. It’s exhausting to commerce a man should you’re not enjoying him.

Quick ahead to the NHL commerce deadline. Who do the Habs transfer?

Roy McIntyre

Armia, as famous above. Defenceman David Savard can be within the ultimate 12 months of his contract, as is ahead Christian Dvorak. I count on all three of them might be traded. Jake Evans can be within the ultimate 12 months of his contract, however I wouldn’t be stunned if the Canadiens attempt to re-sign the 28-year-old centre who has performed very nicely this season.

Do you anticipate Hughes making a commerce or signing a UFA over the summer season to herald one other participant to bolster the offence? A Dach/Newhook sort of transfer or like with Laine? Would they’ve the cap area?

Sprint Edwards

I undoubtedly do — extra possible a commerce than a free-agent signing. The Canadiens can dump US$11.35 million in contracts with Dvorak, Armia and Savard, and you’ll add one other US$1.7 million in the event that they don’t re-sign Evans. However Juraj Slafkovsky will get a increase subsequent season from US$950,000 to US$7.6 million so there gained’t be a ton of salary-cap area obtainable to signal a UFA.

I attempt to remind myself that it’s solely 12 months 3 of the rebuild. In your opinion, is that this stoop les boys are in one thing to be involved about or is that this merely a bump within the highway?

RWL on X — @Dis70Hab

I didn’t count on the Canadiens to be “within the combine” for a playoff spot this season, even when Laine was within the lineup.

The largest query marks to me earlier than the season began had been goaltending and a really younger defence. The rising pains the crew goes by way of this season aren’t a shock to me. What’s a shock is the shortage of compete stage in too many video games and the very fact the Canadiens have grow to be boring to look at. As I’ve famous in earlier columns and Habs Mailbags, I feel head coach Martin St. Louis might use one other assistant coach with loads of NHL expertise to assist him out.

Rebuilds don’t have a linear development and the Canadiens are lacking the presence Sean Monahan, Johnathan Kovacevic and Jake Allen, who had been all traded as a result of they wouldn’t nonetheless be in Montreal when the rebuilding course of must be roughly full after one other two seasons. The longer term arrival of younger gamers Ivan Demidov, Michael Hage, Owen Beck, Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher and Fowler ought to easy out the bumps. No person ever stated rebuilds had been straightforward and so they take greater than three years to finish. I don’t imagine you’ll be able to actually decide a rebuild till after 12 months 5. There are going to be extra bumps within the highway forward.

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