Former Canadiens Samuel Blais and Cayden Primeau were both claimed off waivers Monday by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Canadiens signed Blais, a 29-year-old forward with 257 games of NHL experience, to a one-year, US$775,000 contract as a free agent on July 1 after he played 51 games last season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, posting 14-26-40 totals. He played with the St. Louis Blues the previous season, posting 1-6-7 totals in 53 games.
Blais was among the final players cut by the Canadiens on Sunday ahead of their season opener Wednesday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports).
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The Canadiens traded Primeau to the Carolina Hurricanes on June 30 in exchange for a seventh-round pick at the 2026 NHL Draft. Primeau struggled last season with the Canadiens, posting a 2-3-1 record with a 4.70 goals-against average and a .836 save percentage before being sent down to the AHL’s Laval Rocket in late December. The 26-year-old goalie played much better in Laval, posting a 21-2-2 record with a 1.96 GAA and a .927 save percentage. Primeau signed a one-year, US$775,000 contract with the Hurricanes.
Waiver rules state that the claiming team must keep the player on their NHL roster for the rest of the season. If they send the player down to the minors, the player must go through waivers again.Â
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