Don’t put the expectation to high for this year. It’s is first year pro, his only 20 and the most game he played in one season is 36. Young goalie who are coming from college always have a transition year there 1st year
I wouldn't expect him to have a Matt Murray season, which was the best all time for a U-21 goalie. In the last 10 years for U-21 goalies that played in say 35 or more starts,
Martin Jones, 2.25 gaa, .924 save %
Juuse Saros, 2.24 .920
John Gibson, 2.34, .919
Calvin Pickard, 2.47, .918
Elite Prospects - AHL Stats All-time season
last year there was IIlya Samsonov who had all the hype, now he was 21 but struggled early on, ended up 2.7, .898 in 37 games.
So hopefully Primeau can fare better. He should have a pretty solid to very good defense in front of him, and whoever his backup is should help take some of the load off him so he doesn't play more then say 40 starts or so depending on how he's doing. If he can put up numbers anywhere close to Gibson that would be very impressive. I think he can but we'll see how it goes for him.
Maybe but look at Demko who is better then Primeau 1st season. It was not bad but It was not fantastic either. I expect the same kind of season.
I wouldn't say Demko is better then Primeau, at least in the NCAA they weren't. Primeau had the better Freshman and Sophmore years, although he was 4 months older in those years but Demko's first year he played on one of the best teams in the NCAA if not the best while playing for one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history at one of the biggest programs which of course attracts many NHL draft picks.