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If it was up to Cayden Primeau’s father, the kid never would have become a goalie.

Keith Primeau played 15 seasons in the NHL as a rugged, 6-foot-5, 220-pound centreman with the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers, posting 266-353-619 totals in 909 career games, along with 1,541 penalty minutes.

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Cayden said he was about 8 years old when his father finally let him play goalie. The Canadiens selected him in the seventh round (199th overall) at the 2017 NHL Draft.

Photo by John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette

“It took some persistence,” Primeau said at this week’s Canadiens development camp in Brossard, which wrapped up on Friday. “My dad did not want me to be a goalie, but he finally caved in and I stuck with it ever since. He just got tired of me asking and I wanted no part of being a forward. I’d skate by the bench with my head down and my stick behind me (as a forward), so he finally caved in.”

Primeau, who turns 20 on Aug. 11, was born in Voorhees, N.J., and grew up with his father playing for the Flyers. Primeau was 6 when his dad’s NHL career came to an end because of concussions. His father has since worked to spread awareness about head injuries in sport.