1995-96
Buffalo Sabres
Road CCM Knit, Size 56
Light/Moderate overall use with nice board burns, puck/stick marks,
etc. Team LOA signed by Store Manager, Tammy Preteroti. Jersey was
worn in at least the pre-season, and possibly the regular season,
as Primeau played in two regular season games that year.
Although quite large himself, Wayne Primeau grew up under the even
larger shadow of his elder brother, Flyer colossus Keith Primeau.
Wayne, for his part, had a successful amateur career embellished by
anticipation from above that he might be a clone of his accomplished
brother.
The younger Primeau played midget for the Whitby Flyers until he was
selected 4th overall in the 1992 OHL Priority Draft by the Owen Sound
Platers. In all, he put in four seasons of junior A where his size
and speed were sufficient to make him a solid offensive performer.
Having been selected 17th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1994
NHL Entry Draft, he turned pro on a full-time basis in 1996. After
a 24-game stint with the AHL's Rochester Americans, Primeau was elevated
to the NHL where he has remained ever since.
With the Sabres, fans and analysts were finally able to observe how
the big centreman would adapt to the rugged demands of big-league
play. A sound defensive player, Primeau has worked strong on his defensive
game and is strong on faceoffs and strong penalty killer.
Primeau can also use his size and play's a feisty brand of hockey,
especially against the odds. One night, while skating against his
brother, Keith, Wayne goaded his older brother verbally into a tussle.
In all, Wayne Primeau lasted for parts of five seasons with the Sabres.
He was then traded as part of a collective to the Tampa Bay Lightning
in exchange for Chris Gratton. There, Primeau continued in his capacity
as a utility centreman until he was again traded in 2001 to the Pittsburgh
Penguins in exchange for Matthew Barnaby.
Primeau went on to play parts of three seasons with Pittsburgh before
he was traded to the San Jose Sharks at the March 2003 trading deadline.
After one full season in San Jose in 2003-04 and a lockout year in
2004-05, Primeau was part of a blockbuster deal in November of 2005
that brought Joe Thornton of the Boston Bruins to San Jose in exchange
for Primeau, Brad Stuart and Marco Sturm.
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