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Canadiens Wrap

Habs Wrap: Primeau’s Development, Trade Talk, RHP On Waivers

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Montreal Canadiens goalie Cayden PRimeau

MONTREAL — There’s always Montreal Canadiens content to absorb, but there are only so many hours in a day. On Sundays, we recap the most exciting and relevant NHL news stories that you may have missed throughout the week so that you can stay in the Canadiens loop.

Seeing as the Habs played back-to-back games on the weekend, this edition of the weekly wrap was pushed back to Monday morning.

Monday

You’d be hard-pressed to suggest the Canadiens have the type of depth that allows them to stack their first line, making Martin St-Louis’ decision to break up his best trio last season an interesting experiment. But at this point, it’s starting to become clear the change has failed to yield positive results, especially in regard to the youngest player in the lineup, Juraj Slafkovsky.


Don’t look now, but Michael Hage can’t stop scoring for the University of Michigan, as evidenced by his five-point effort on Saturday. He’s the Wolverines’ top-scoring player, not to mention the most productive rookie in the league. To put a fine point on his dominance, he’s currently scoring more often than several blue-chip prospects who were drafted a year earlier. [Canadiens Prospect Michael Hage Setting NCAA On Fire]

ICYMI: Some former members of the Canadiens are thriving, such as Sean Monahan, however, others are having a hard time fitting in with their new teams. Defenceman Jordan Harris’ usage with the Blue Jackets has led to a very difficult start to the year. [How Former Canadiens Players Are Performing With New Teams]

The Canadiens were hoping to extend their winning streak to three games for the first time in 2024-25, but a strong start versus the Vegas Golden Knights made way for a shambolic second period in which the road team scored five goals. It was a tough loss to swallow, but there was some good news, as Emil Heineman was rewarded for his underrated start to the season. [Habs Highlights: Heineman Rewarded For Strong Start To Season]

Former Hab Tomas Plekanec visited Canada for Shea Weber’s Hockey Hall of Fame introduction ceremony, but decided to stick around by spending some time in Montreal and Laval. While there’s no word on whether he’s looking for a job, it wouldn’t be surprising if the 42-year-old is starting to make plans for his post-hockey career.

Tuesday

It was a very busy Monday, starting with the promotion of Joshua Roy from the AHL. Roy has 16 points in 17 games for the Laval Rocket this season, and based on his numbers last year, it was rather shortsighted to send him to the AHL due to a poor performance at training camp that involved minimal minutes. Montreal can’t afford any unforced errors, such as leaving one of their best forwards in 2023-24 in the AHL while their NHL lineup struggles to find its rhythm. [Canadiens Prospect Joshua Roy Deserves More Respect]

The Habs were on the upswing prior to Saturday’s disheartening loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, but you’d be hard-pressed to suggest new forward combinations were not in order. That being said, placing Juraj Slafkovsky on the fourth line seems like an unreasonable reaction when we consider he’s among the best players on the team in points per 60 (5v5). Using Dach on the fourth line makes a little more sense, as he’s failed to show any manner of tangible improvements this season, and has regressed significantly since the time he joined the team. His injury history dictates that he will need more time to get into game shape, but there’s no doubting his current issues go beyond a little rust. He’s making poor decisions that are out of character, which suggests confidence is at an all-time low. [Message Sent: Canadiens Run New Lines, Demote Top Players]

It should also be noted that Patirk Laine participated in the team’s practice, and is no longer wearing the blue non-contact jersey. Don’t expect him to return to play this week, but it does seem like he’s on the cusp of being activated from the injured reserve. [Potential Impact Of Patrik Laine’s Eventual Return]


With Roy in the NHL the Canadiens needed to find a roster spot. Consequently, forward Lucas Condotta was re-assigned to the AHL. [Canadiens]

Ivan Demidov’s teammate in the KHL, Tony DeAngelo, recently discussed the Canadiens prospect’s incredible potential, as well as his eventual arrival in the NHL.

Speaking of Demidov, check out this fantastic highlight video covering his excellent play in the KHL this season.

Wednesday

There was some good news in the health department, as the Habs announced injured forward Patrik Laine will indeed make the trip to Columbus on Wednesday. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll play, as Martin St-Louis suggested he’s not quite ready, but it’s certainly a sign that he’s almost ready to make his debut with the Canadiens. Mike Matheson missed Tuesday’s game, but he will also travel with the team. [Potential Impact Of Patrik Laine’s Return To Canadiens Lineup]

The Habs had yet another lifeless game on Tuesday, but they did manage to push the Utah Hockey Club to overtime, where Canadiens draft pick Mikhail Sergachev scored the winner. Alex Newhook and Jayden Struble were the goalscorers for the home team. [Habs Highlights: Canadiens Drop First Ever Game Versus Utah]

Team Canada has picked two goaltenders to represent the country at the upcoming 4 Nations Faceoff, but Samuel Montembeault was not among them. Jordan Binnington and Adin Hill were the net minders tapped for the assignment, and it’s worth mentioning that they currently own an .891 and an .887 save percentage, respectively, which means there’s still a chance the Canadiens goalie could end up playing for Team Canada, as he possesses much better numbers than either Hill or Binnington. [RDS]

St-Louis discussed Kirby Dach’s struggles prior to the game against Utah, explaining that it was a combination of several factors at play, not just his injury.

Thursday

The Canadiens were hoping either Mike Matheson or Patrik Laine would be ready to face the Blue Jackets, as both injured players made the trip to Columbus, but we’ll have to wait a little longer for Matheson return and Laine’s debut. The next game on the docket will be a trip to New York to face the Rangers on Saturday afternoon, with an early 1:00 pm ET puck drop. [NHL]

Wednesday’s game against the Blue Jackets had the potential to be a major roadblock for Martin St-Louis’ team, especially since they travelled after facing Utah on Tuesday. Rather than hold back, the Habs offered a complete team effort which led to a hard-fought 4-3 overtime win. Juraj Slafkovsky, the youngest player in the lineup, had one of his best games of the year. [Habs Highlights: Juraj Slafkovsky Bounces Back In Key Win]

Slafkovsky was all smiles after the game, a very encouraging sign when it comes to his confidence. He needs to shoot a lot more often if he’s to score with regularity, and that will involve a certain level of greed. Or rather, he has to stop being so generous during high-danger scoring opportunities, as he did when he decided not to pass to Suzuki during an odd-man rush.

It was also a very solid game for Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson, who was thrust into first-pairing duties due to the Matheson injury. Consequently, Kaiden Guhle, who had been playing great on the left, was shifted back to his offside. I’d argue Hutson’s defensive impact, which was underrated from the get-go, has improved by leaps in bounds just 22 games into his career. He’ll always lose a few pucks here and there, that comes with the territory of being one of the busiest players in the NHL. The more you have the puck on your stick, the more you lose it, it’s inevitable. But the good outweighs the bad in that respect, and if his defensive work shores up a little more, he’ll have very few weaknesses to address in the coming years.


Logan Mailloux scored his fifth goal of the year for the Laval Rocket, but the team itself failed to beat Hershey, losing 5-3 to the Bears. The game is particularly notable because Hershey is also one of the best teams in the league. The Rocket outshot the Bears 25-22, but they allowed their opponents to score two powerplay goals, a recipe for disaster in any hockey game.

Friday

Prior to the matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, forward Juraj Slafkovsky hadn’t registered his name on the scoresheet since November 11, a three-point effort against the Buffalo Sabres that was arguably his best game since joining the Montreal Canadiens. The goal on Wednesday should go a long way in re-establishing a higher level of confidence for the 20-year-old winger, especially since he was playing alongside captain Nick Suzuki when he scored.


The trade deadline is months away, which means we shouldn’t anticipate a trade in the near future, but seeing as Mike Matheson’s name is popping up on trade bait boards, we may as well discuss the situation. There’s a lot to like while evaluating Matheson’s impact, which should lead to a healthy list of suitors on the NHL’s trade market. [Examining Potential Canadiens Trade Involving Mike Matheson]

Cole Caufield visited the Johnny Gaudreau Memorial during the team’s visit to Columbus. Gaudreau was a big influence on Caufield growing up, which is why the Canadiens forward switched his number to No.13 this summer following the tragic news of Gaudreau’s passing. Caufield ended up scoring his 13th goal of the season against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday night. [Habs Highlights: Slafkovsky Has Big Game, Caufield Scores Again]

Saturday

Patrik Laine was taking semiregular shifts at practice, a very encouraging sign when it comes to his Montreal Canadiens debut. He’s not expected to play on Saturday versus New York, but there is a chance he’s good to go by Sunday’s game against the Boston Bruins. Mike Matheson, on the other hand, took part in the full practice, and is expected to play versus the Rangers. Game-time decisions are to be expected in both cases.

Laine also ended up on the ground following an accidental incident involving defenceman Justin Barron, which led to a few angry comments on social media. I absolutely understand that fans are a little defensive when it comes to Laine’s health, but beyond the fact that it was accidental, there’s no avoiding contact in practice, because that’s what gets you ready for real games. Absorbing a few hits at practice is perfectly normal, and to a certain extent, necessary before you jump into a mid-season game with almost a year of rust in play.


We don’t want to suggest Cayden Primeau has nothing to do with his underwhelming results in recent years, but it’s impossible to ignore the absolutely ridiculous development plan put in place for the goaltender. From the time Primeau was rushed into the AHL to this season, he has had to share the net with no fewer than two other goalies, with the average being closer to three or four. The Habs fumbled the assignment on several occasions with Primeau, an important lesson to remember as we witness top goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler dominate the NCAA. [Canadiens Goalie Primeau Perfect Example Of Poor Development]

Elliotte Friedman suggested a player such as Kirby Dach could be a good fit for the Pittsburgh Penguins, especially since his ice time is on the decline. Friedman was clear this was not a report, just a discussion, and while that’s perfectly fair, it’s also fair to suggest moving on from Dach at this point is incredibly unlikely. Unless the Penguins would overpay for him, which is also quite unlikely, there’s not much there to build the framework of a potential trade involving Dach. [Montreal Canadiens Trade Talk: Kirby Dach’s Name Surfaces]

Sunday

The Habs placed forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard on waivers, putting an end to his long-term conditioning loan with the Laval Rocket. Harvey-Pinard broke his leg this summer, which forced him to miss training camp, as well as a significant stretch of games to start the season. During his five-game conditioning stint, the 25-year-old forward scored one goal. If he clears waivers, he will join the Rocket in an official capacity rather than a long-term conditioning loan.  [Montreal Canadiens Place Harvey-Pinard On NHL Waivers]

Update: Harvey-Pinard cleared waivers and has reported to the Laval Rocket.

Josh Anderson was a man on a mission, wasting no time inviting New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba to fight in response to an ugly hit on Justin Barron earlier in the season. It was a one-sided fight, with Anderson landing a handful of heavy punches as Trouba scrambled to stay on his skates. Say what you will about Anderson’s contract, but he’s clearly attempting to contribute as much as he can, and he’s putting his body on the line to do so. [GOTTA SEE IT: Josh Anderson Demolishes Jacob Trouba In Fight]

The Habs put together a very solid performance against the Rangers, but their momentum was shot down by a series of confusing and frustrating decisions by Kelly Sutherland and Francis Charron. Montreal held a 15-6 advantage in high-danger chances at 5v5, while the Rangers scored twice on the powerplay.

We tend to blame referees way too often in professional sports. They’re part of the game, and mistakes are to be expected, but Saturday was a perfect example of when poor refereeing not only directly influences the game, but also ruins what is otherwise an entertaining tilt. On the bright side, Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki, among others, had a great outing. [Habs Highlights: Big Fight, Poor Refereeing, Frustrating Result]

Elliotte Friedman has clarified goaltender Joey D’Accord’s status for the upcoming 4 Nations Faceoff, which will factor into whether Habs goaltender Samuel Montembeault gets the call. D’Accord does have Canadian citizenship, but he does not currently have a passport. Jordan Binnington and Adin Hill have already been named to Canada’s roster, leaving one goaltending spot open. [Sportsnet]

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