October 8, 2025

In a spicy pre-season move, the Toronto Maple Leafs grabbed goaltender Cayden Primeau and forward Sammy Blais off waivers on Monday. These bold picks come as the Leafs get ready for the 2025-26 NHL season, looking sharp with new firepower both in goal and on the ice's front lines. Primeau’s journey to Toronto is quite a twist! He was first scooped up by the Carolina Hurricanes from the Montreal Canadiens by giving away a 2026 seventh-round draft pick on June 30. But then, the Hurricanes waived him, and the Leafs pounced quickly. Primeau is an American netminder with a $775,000 one-year deal. Last season, Primeau played 11 games for Montreal, ending with a 2–3–1 record, an .836 save percentage, and a 3.82 goals-against average. Not the best NHL stats, but wait—the story shines in the AHL! With Laval Rocket, Primeau was a star, boasting a fantastic 21-2-2 record, a slippery 1.96 goals-against average, and a stellar .927 save rate. This performance earned him the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award for allowing the fewest goals in the league. In total, across 55 NHL games, Primeau holds a 13–24–7 record and an .884 save percentage. The Maple Leafs plan to have him as a backup behind Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby, especially since Joseph Woll is on personal leave. But true fan eyes will wonder what this means for veteran James Reimer, who’s on a tryout agreement. Now, what about Sammy Blais? He joined the Canadiens this off-season on a one-year $775,000 deal but now gets a fresh start with the Leafs. Blais brings grit and aggression, ready to toughen up Toronto’s bottom six forward group under coach Berube. Money matters also play their part! Leafs are carefully juggling their salary cap, running just about $21,221 under the limit after sending Hildeby temporarily to the AHL. So expect some smart roster shuffles before opening night’s final 23-man squad is ready. As the season countdown begins, all eyes will watch the Maple Leafs’ new goalie duo and see if Blais can carve out a place in the team’s lineup. Will these waiver claims turn out to be game-changers? Hockey lovers, get ready for thrilling action ahead!

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Tags: Toronto maple leafs, Cayden primeau, Sammy blais, Nhl, Waiver claims, 2025-26 season,