2:02 PM: The Hurricanes announced that Primeau has been assigned to AHL Chicago, meaning they were the only team to put in a claim. Meanwhile, the team also confirmed that wingers Eric Robinson and William Carrier were activated off injured reserve as previously reported earlier today.
1:04 PM: The Hurricanes have plenty of goaltending depth in their organization and they have just added a bit more. Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Carolina has claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau off waivers from Toronto.
It’s a return to the Hurricanes for the 26-year-old. Carolina acquired him from Montreal in late June for a seventh-round pick and quickly signed him to a one-year, one-way contract at the league minimum salary of $775K. The thought was that he’d serve as the third-string option for them this season. However, those plans changed late in training camp when they picked up Brandon Bussi off waivers from Florida to fill that role, meaning Primeau was waived soon after.
With the Maple Leafs not having Joseph Woll to start the season after he took a leave of absence, Toronto claimed Primeau and had him spend the first four weeks of the season as Anthony Stolarz’s backup. He won two of his three starts but struggled, allowing 13 goals on just 80 shots in those outings. With Woll now on a conditioning stint in advance of his return, the Maple Leafs elected to waive Primeau.
Primeau has played in 58 NHL games over parts of seven NHL seasons with the other 55 outings before this season coming with Montreal. While he has shown some flashes of upside along the way, he has struggled overall, posting a 15-25-7 record with a 3.73 GAA and a .882 SV%.
It’s fair to say that Carolina isn’t claiming Primeau to take over Bussi’s spot as the third-string option or serve as a number four on the NHL roster. They’ll be hoping that no one else claimed him and if that’s the case, they will be eligible to send him to AHL Chicago as they originally intended to a month ago. While Primeau hasn’t fared well in the NHL, he has been a top goalie in the minors and is coming off a 21-2-3 showing last season with Laval where he had a 1.96 GAA and a .927 SV%. With Amir Miftakhov and Nikita Quapp playing to a combined 3.61 GAA and a .862 SV% in eight games so far this season, he’d be a huge addition for the Wolves if the Hurricanes can send him down. If another team put a claim in though, Carolina would have to either keep Primeau on the NHL roster or put him right back on waivers.
Is Primeau really any better than any team’s AHL starter?
Can’t have too many goalies in this goalie market. He may work well as a trade chip.