If they still don’t trust Lindgren to be even a backup at this point, we should just dump him somewhere and move on. With Primeau making the leap, he’s just taking up space.
It's most likely Lindgren that goes either loan or trade as we could always eat some of his contract if need be. I would think the only way he stays is due to him being a vet and mentor to Primeau since he turns 26 2 months into the season and McNiven just turned 22.
the new Dryden? Like that he's brainy. Maybe not Dryden brainy but definitely a good thing that he explores all avenues in trying to gain a competitive edge. Despite the score I thought he was solid. He could still very well be our best prospect.
Next to Suzuki I thought he was their best player, I turned it off towards the end but no fault on him on the 3rd goal.
Yeah I'm no goalie expert but theirs some really knowledgeable people hyping him up. I wonder where he ranks league wide in relation to other goalie prospects
He's got to be in the mix for top 10 goalie prospect if not better. I think being picked in the 7th round is costing him now but that could change in a hurry if he continues to improve. I've followed the NCAA for a long time and he just had one of the best 18 and 19 aged seasons I've ever seen. With the NCAA you have to look at the conference they were in, out of the Division I, it really should be looked at as Div I - NCHC, HE, Big 10 (Harris/Struble/Caufield/Gorniak/Stapley) and the rest should be more like Div II - ECAC, WCHA, Atlantic.
So if a goalie is from one of the weaker conferences that means they likely didn't face many NHL draft picks as several teams in those conferences won't have a single NHL draft pick on their team or others will have one or two mostly mid or late round picks like a Koberstein or Henriksson who in our system would be at the very bottom or just about so they are playing on teams where they might be the only NHL draft pick.
My point is just that it's all about context and strength of schedule. Primeau went to a lesser program but still a good one that is in one of the best conferences so he faced some of the top teams that had many NHL draft picks and some 1st rounders like Tkachuk, Fabbro, Poehling, Bowers, etc.. (just off the top of my head since they played BU a number of times over his 2 years and I know he shutdown Poehling this past season. Primeau did this all while not having a loaded D in front of him. They did have a very good blueliner in Davies, a 7th round pick of NJ and of course Harris a 3rd round pick and Shea a 4th round pick of the Hawks.
I think the best case scenario here is either you include Lindgren in a package deal for pieces back, or you loan him to another AHL club if possible.
I would aim at having McNiven starts 40-45 games since he's earned it. And to have Primeau get the other 35-40, so he can slowly transition to the role. And then next year 20/21 depending on how things go, McNiven/Lindgren likely back up Price & Primeau aims for 50-55 games in the AHL. Then by 21/22 post-seattle draft Primeau either backs up Price or takes over the starting role.
I had hoped Primeau would stay in the NCAA for one more year since he wasn't eligible for the NCAA loophole. But now that he's here, you have to give him the bulk of the starts imo. He's just too good, you wouldn't put Suzuki on the 3rd or 4th line in Laval as a top prospect just because guys like Barber, Hudon or whoever have earned it, it's about what's best for your best prospects. It sucks cause McNiven showed good improvement from his 1st year was he was misused imo, but he also had a health issue that was fixed and helped him show up to camp lighter.
We'll see what they plan to do, imo Primeau has to be the guy unless he shows you he's not ready for it.
