When the Montreal Canadiens visit the New Jersey Devils tonight, it will be a milestone night for Montreal Canadiens Carey Price. The 27-year-old goaltender will be playing his four hundredth game in the NHL, all with the Habs. It hasn’t been the smoothest ride for Price up to this point, and he has had to battle some goalies for the starters job over the years. However, in the past couple seasons, Price has proven to be one of the best goalie in the NHL.
Carey Price To Play In 400th Game
He was drafted fifth overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft during a time where goaltending in the Canadiens organization wasn’t entirely stable, but for the most part the job was taken. Jose Theodore was playing well, but only every other season. Granted he didn’t have much of a team in front of him, so it wasn’t fully Theo’s fault. Cristobel Huet was also acquired in Theo’s last year as a Hab and Jarsolav Halak was in the system. Suffice to say, some analysts were confused by the picking of Price when the Habs had numerous goalies, even though Halak wasn’t highly touted at the time.
Price broke into the league in 2007-08 as a fresh faced 20-year-old, coming off from a Calder Cup championship win the previous spring with the Hamilton Bulldogs, the Baby Habs. He won 24 games in 41 games, effectively ending Huet’s tenure in the Montreal organization, as Huet was traded at the 2008 trade deadline. After the trade Price was backed up by Halak, who was just starting to get looked at with the big club.
The work of Price, Huet, and Halak over the regular season got the Habs the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs they got past the Boston Bruins in seven games, then fell to the Philadelphia Flyers in five games. Price was sensational against Boston, posting two shutouts in the Bruins series; but seemed to struggle against the Flyers.
The next six years were up and down for Price, who was still learning how to handle a starters job at such a young age and in Montreal nonetheless, where any wrong move, no matter how big or small, is magnified and will be over exaggerated. But for the most part he was excelling and he was still putting up good numbers for the team he had in front of him.
He also had the intense battle with Halak for the crease job, which culminated in the 2009-10 playoffs. Halak had been in the Habs system for quite some time, being a ninth round pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, but wasn’t considered much of a prospect. He got his shot with the Habs in 2006-07 and continued his stellar play with the Habs, which was sparking trade rumors of either goalie because the crease was not big enough for both of them.
In the 2009-10 season, Halak won the job and began the playoffs as the starter. They got to the Eastern Conference Finals, but were once again foiled by the Flyers in five games. After the playoffs ended, Habs management made the choice to stick with Price and trade Halak, sensing that Price had more long-term value and with more work would be the franchise building block they desperately needed. They were right.
The picking of Price has definitely been a huge part of the Habs revitalization and with this past spring, playoffs success. Prior to the 2013-14 playoffs, Price did have some struggles in the spring, although not his fault entirely at all, it was more the team in front of him, or lack of. But he carried the 2013-14 Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Finals, until he went down with a knee injury and Dustin Tokarksi had to take over for him. This season so far it is no different with Price being one of the biggest reasons for the Habs sitting fourth in East, seventh overall in the league.
He will be the third goalie (behind Patrick Roy and Jacques Plante) in Canadiens history to reach this benchmark and will be tied for the youngest on the team, and I mean literally tied. Patrick Roy was 27 years old, 139 days old on February 21st, 1993 when he played his 400th game with the Habs. Price is exactly 27 years old, 139 days right now. They were both 10,002 days old when hitting this milestone. Since Roy’s first game as a Hab in 1985 (despite it only being 20 minutes), it took him 2.902 days to reach four hundred games played, although if you want to be technical and use Roy’s first full game, it was 2,692 days. It has taken Price 2, 642 days to accomplish the feat since his first game in 2007-08. Price is also two shutouts from equaling Roy’s both regular season and total shutout record, 29 and 34 respectively, but is still a ways away from tying Plante (58) or George Hainsworth (75) in the regular season totals.
If Price does win tonight, he will have 200 wins for his career and will definitely surpass Bill Durnan (208) this season if he stays healthy. Ken Dryden (258) will be next on the list and could be tied within the next two seasons, providing Price puts up his average numbers. Regardless, Price is in the top ten on just about every Canadiens goaltending statistic, from wins to shots against. Having him locked up for the next three seasons is great for the Habs. There is little doubt that the team will look to sign him to an extension when the time comes.
Price has also had immense success at the international level. He won the Gold medal in the 2007 World Junior Championship with Team Canada, posting a staggering 6-0, .961 SV%, 1.14 GAA with two shutouts. He allowed only seven goals on 179 shots against. It was truly a treat to watch Price dominate at the Juniors and show that he can win anywhere.
He also duplicated his success this past February with the Canadian Men’s team at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, posting an unbelievable 5-0, .972 SV%, 0.59 GAA (How does one accomplish that? Seriously), with two shutouts which were back to back. Price has always been a beast at the international level, and even with a loaded team in front of him, he was still making jaw dropping saves. He is now just one Stanley Cup win away from being an official member of the Triple Gold Club, and the first goalie in the Club to boot.
Congratulations on hitting four hundred games, Carey. Here’s hoping for four hundred more!
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