BOSTON – After a 25-10-1 season, backstopping the Northeastern men's hockey team to its second straight Beanpot title, third Hockey East crown in team history and a return to the NCAA tournament, Cayden Primeau is taking his game to the next level. The sophomore goaltender has signed an entry level contract with the Montreal Canadiens, and will report to the club's AHL affiliate in Laval.
 
"Cayden Primeau is the best goaltender in Northeastern history," said Fernie Flaman Men's Hockey Coach Jim Madigan. "From the minute he stepped on campus a season ago, he conducted himself as a true professional, on and off the ice, and was the ultimate teammate. He helped take our program to unprecedented heights, and his shoes will be difficult to fill, but we are excited for him to take the next step in his hockey career and we wish him and his family nothing but the best."
 
Primeau leaves Northeastern as one of the most accomplished players in program history. In just two seasons, the Voorhees, N.J. native posted a 2.00 goals against average and .932 save percentage, both program records, along with a 44-18-6 record with eight shutouts. His 44 victories are tied for the fifth most in team history, and he is the only goalie in program history to record at least 40 wins in two seasons.
 
As a sophomore in 2018-19, Primeau backstopped the Huskies to their second straight Beanpot championship, a Hockey East title and a return to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year, earning Beanpot MVP, the Eberly Award, Hockey East Tournament MVP and Hockey East First Team All-Star accolades in the process. He went 25-10-1, the third most wins in the NCAA, with a .933 save percentage that ranks sixth in the nation and a 2.00 goals against average (13th in the NCAA). He made at least 30 saves 14 times during the year, and his four shutouts are tied for 10th in the country.
 
On Thursday, Primeau was named a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the nation's top goaltender, for the second straight year. The winner will be announced at the Frozen Four in Buffalo.
 
Primeau missed three games for the Huskies earlier this season to compete with the United States National Junior Team at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, where the team earned the silver medal after falling to Finland 3-2 in the gold medal game. Primeau turned heads on the national stage and emerged as the team's leading goaltender during the tournament, posting a 4-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record with a 1.61 GAA and .937 save percentage.
 
Primeau was a seventh round draft choice (199th overall) be Montreal in the 2017 NHL Draft.