Backup goalie Cayden Primeau will take the ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators, giving Anthony Stolarz a well-deserved night off. This update comes from Lance Hornby, published on October 14, 2025.
As the Predators visit Toronto, the Maple Leafs have certainly navigated a complicated path to get a backup goalie into a regular-season game. Primeau will step in for Stolarz, who has a record of 1-2 and an .886 save percentage. Originally, the plan was for Joseph Woll to start, but he is currently on indefinite leave for personal reasons. The team also considered Marlies goalies Dennis Hildeby and James Reimer, who was signed on a PTO during training camp but was later released.
Just before finalizing the 23-man roster, Primeau was claimed off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. General manager Brad Treliving, along with goaltending development director Curtis McElhinney and goalie coach Curtis Sanford, were impressed by Primeau’s previous experience with the Montreal Canadiens, despite his struggles to secure a starting position in 55 career games.
This game presents a valuable opportunity for Primeau to gain experience in a game situation, especially since many backups often find themselves playing on the road against a fatigued team. With limited options available, and Hildeby needing to start in the minors due to salary-cap constraints involving veteran players, it’s time to see what Primeau can bring to the team.
“He’s been practicing well and is in a good place,” said head coach Craig Berube. “He’s comfortable and happy to be here. I can only assess him based on his practices so far.”
In other news, Calle Jarnkrok has been making headlines, scoring a goal in each of Toronto’s first three games, placing him at the top of the team’s scoring list and just two goals shy of the NHL lead as of Tuesday.