Wayne Primeau joins Toronto Maple Leafs on a try-out contract
Wayne Primeau found himself in an unfamiliar position as training camp neared this year; he was not under contract with an NHL team for the first time in 15 seasons.
Days before camps were set to open he received an invite form Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke to join the Leafs on a professional try-out contract.
Primeau played for the Leafs last season, appearing in 59 games. In those games he scored three goals and added five assists while averaging 11:03 of ice time per game. Primeau was in
the final year of his contract last season and was paid $1.4 million by the Leafs. He became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
The Leafs are pretty deep at forward and Primeau will most likely have a difficult time breaking into the Toronto line up. However Primeau sees the opportunity the Leafs have given him
as more than just a try-out for the Toronto club. Primeau had this to say about the situation he finds himself in: “If there’s other teams that aren’t happy with their young guys or there’s injuries in training camp on other teams, or maybe this team, who
knows? It might give me that opportunity to find a spot.”
Primeau, who has played in 774 NHL games, is the type of player that young NHL teams bring in to play on the third or fourth line and provide valuable veteran leadership in the dressing
room. Perhaps trying to sell that point to the Leafs he offered the following, “I enjoy being around the young guys, I like the kids here. I feel that I have some experience I can lend to the guys and hopefully they see that too.”
Primeau will only have a short time to get the attention of the Leafs or one of the other 29 NHL teams as the season officially opens on October 7.
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