Lindgren focuses on present as future with Habs murky
Goalie has only one NHL start this season, but vows ‘to keep on working hard’
Canadiens goalie Charlie
DETROIT Lindgren has no idea what the future holds for him, but he’s a smart young man and is taking the right approach.
For now, Lindgren is the backup to Carey Price, who has six more seasons after this left on his eight-year, US$84-million contract. It also looks like Cayden Primeau, now with the AHL’s Laval Rocket, has passed Lindgren on the Canadiens’ depth chart.
Lindgren is 26 and Primeau is 20, so if there’s such a thing as a Goalie of the Future with the Canadiens, it would appear to be Primeau.
While Primeau has been playing regularly with the Rocket, posting a 9-6-1 record with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage, Lindgren has been sitting on the bench watching Price play.
There’s a chance Lindgren will make his second start of the season with the Canadiens on Tuesday when they visit the Detroit Red Wings in the second game of a back-to-back situation
after Price faced the Winnipeg Jets Monday night at the Bell Centre.
Lindgren played well in his first start, making 33 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Hurricanes on New Year’s Eve in Raleigh, N.C., and deserves another chance.
Was he feeling the pressure that night?
“Yeah, that’s just the nature of the beast,” Lindgren said during a one-on-one chat after Sunday’s optional practice in Brossard. “No question I knew I had to have a good game. And to tell you the truth, I think every time I’ve been up here I’ve proven that I can play. I’ve played I think 19 games now (in the NHL) and I think I’ve proven that I can play at this level and play at a high level. So when my name is called next, I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself, but just keep doing what I know I can do and I think everything else will take care of itself.”
Lindgren has one more season after this on his three-year, US$2.25-million contract after originally signing with the Canadiens as a free agent out of St. Cloud State University, the same school current teammate Ryan Poehling played for.
Last season, Lindgren struggled while battling through hip and ankle injuries, posting an 11-20-1 record with a 2.94 goalsagainst average and an .884 save percentage with the Rocket. He played only one game with the Canadiens, making 44 saves in a 6-5 season-ending shootout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I didn’t feel like myself physically, and mentally it was pretty draining,” Lindgren said about last season.
“It was the first injuries I dealt with. It was a tough year. The year before in Laval we won like 10 games all year, so that’s tough. But this year I had a totally different mindset. After I got sent down at training camp I decided: You know what? I’m going to put everything on the line here. I’m going to go into every game and be focused and prepared. I don’t think I’ve played a single bad game this year. I think every single game I gave my team a chance to win and that’s what I’m supposed to do. I just got to keep on rolling up here.”
Lindgren had a 7-6-2 record with a 2.67 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage this season in Laval before getting called up by the Canadiens. Lindgren wasn’t happy when Primeau was called up before him earlier this season after Keith Kinkaid was sent down to Laval.
“There’s been some moments where I’ve maybe been really disappointed and I’m sure you know those moments,” Lindgren said. “I’ve gone through a lot I think the last couple of years and I think mentally I’m a heckuva lot stronger. I believe I’m where I’m supposed to be. There’s no question I belong here and there’s no doubt in my mind. I just got to keep on working hard. I get along great with these guys and get along great with Pricer. I just got to keep on going ... it’s as simple as that.
“I’m a man of faith, too, so I believe everything happens for a reason. All the things that I’ve gone through … I think it’s been good for me. It’s made me a lot stronger mentally and I’ve just kept on going forward.
“My whole life, nothing’s been given to me. I’ve worked for everything, I’m used to it.
Just got to keep on going.”
As for the future, Lindgren said: “You can’t control it. You just got to worry about the present and right now I’m a Montreal Canadien and I’m proud to be a Montreal Canadien. I know if I take care of what I can take care of and focus on what I need to focus on, I know I can play in this league for a long time. I just got to keep on going and focus on the present.” scowan@postmedia.com Twitter.com/StuCowan1