The Arrival of Casey DeSmith Adds Even More Pressure on…

Analysis: The Arrival of Casey DeSmith Adds Pressure on Cayden Primeau

In a surprising turn of events, the Montreal Canadiens have found themselves involved in a MONSTER trade. The confirmation came earlier today that the third team involved in the Erik Karlsson trade was indeed the Canadiens. This is not the first time that General Manager Kent Hughes has orchestrated a multi-team transaction. At the last trade deadline, he temporarily acquired Nick Bonino only to later trade him to the Penguins. However, today’s trade is much more significant. Firstly, Erik Karlsson and his massive contract have finally found a taker (Pittsburgh), and secondly, Jeff Petry has miraculously returned to Montreal. The Canadiens have also gotten rid of Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick in the trade, acquiring valuable assets in return.

Potential Impact on Cayden Primeau

But that’s not all. Casey DeSmith, a goalie, has also been sent to Montreal in the trade. And his arrival definitely won’t make life any easier for young goaltender Cayden Primeau. Primeau is already under a lot of pressure as he is eligible to be placed on waivers. In his 21 NHL games, the American goalie has yet to prove that he is ready for the big leagues. The addition of Casey DeSmith could significantly increase the pressure on him.

The Challenge of Keeping Four Goalies

Keeping three goalies on a 23-player roster is feasible, although not ideal. However, keeping four goalies is impossible. One or even two of the four (who are not Samuel Montembeault or Jake Allen) will have to go through waivers. The goalies will have to give it their all during training camp to showcase their value. Otherwise, waivers will be their only option.

In the NHL, DeSmith is a solid goalie. Although he had a difficult season last year, his statistics in the previous four years were more than respectable. I’m excited to see him perform with the Canadiens and curious to see if he can regain his form from 2021-2022. The question of whether Jeff Petry will be traded before the upcoming season lingers, but the same question must also be asked about one of the goaltenders in the organization.

Depth in the Crease

As Eric Engels suggests in the tweet above, it is a real possibility that Kent Hughes may decide to keep three goalies in the NHL throughout the season. You can never have enough depth in goaltending. This could potentially open the door to a trade involving Jake Allen, among others. As for DeSmith, as I mentioned earlier, he has potential. At 31 years old, time is running out for him, but maybe a stint in Montreal could reignite his career.

When the Penguins confirmed DeSmith’s departure on Twitter earlier today, I read the comments from fans, and most seemed disappointed by the goalie’s departure. However, there was one user who appeared to be thrilled. “DESMITH IS GONE I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!!!!,” the user exclaimed.

Contract and Performance

The Rochester native will be without a contract in the summer of 2024. He will be paid $1.8 million for the upcoming season, and after that, he will become a RESTRICTED free agent, just like Montembeault. DeSmith was the starting goalie for the Americans in the last World Championship, and in seven games, he maintained a record of 5-2, a save percentage of .918, and a goals against average of 1.95. When in the right form, he is an excellent goalie.

Final Thoughts: A Win for the Canadiens

In conclusion, the trade that brought all these players to Montreal, including Nathan Légaré, is a win for the Canadiens. They have shed Mike Hoffman (finally), brought back fan-favorite Jeff Petry (who will need to find a new number), and strengthened the goaltending, an area of need within the organization. Since becoming the GM of the Canadiens, Kent Hughes continues to impress me.