When the Montreal Canadiens had their home opener against the Boston Bruins on October 16 2014, which the Habs won 6-4, there was a highly memorable moment in the opening ceremony. Legendary goaltender of the 1970s for the Habs, Ken Dryden came to the side of the rink carrying a lit torch. He then passed this torch to current legend in the making Carey Price. It was very symbolic for the franchise and unbeknownst to the fans watching that night, it meant a lot to this season, which should be known as The Year Of Price.
The calendar year of 2014 was already a great one for Price. Not only was he playing well in the NHL, but he backstopped the Team Canada to a Gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he resembled a solid brick wall by having a .59 GAA in 5 games. He followed that up that leading his team all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals versus New York Rangers, but unfortunately was injured and his season was shut down.
Fast forward to this moment between Price and Dryden, you could tell it was going to be special and remembered fondly, but for what exactly, nobody knew. When he suited up for the Habs on April 9th 2015 for an exciting game against the Detroit Red Wings, we knew why.
His dominance in the 2014-15 season led up to this record breaking moment. Price had just recorded his 43rd win of the season. This is an excellent feat by any goalie in any league, but die hard Habs fans will know that win number 43 had just broke the Canadiens franchise record for wins in a season by a goalie and this 39 year old record was co-held by none other than Ken Dryden (1975-76) and Jacques Plante (who hit 42 twice, in 1955-56 and 1961-62). It’s worth noting that in Dryden’s 42 win season and Plante’s first 42 win season the Habs won the Stanley Cup.
Not only is he now the franchise single season win leader with 44 wins, but he is also the new leader for single season best save percentage with a sparkling .934. He is also sitting third league wide for best save percentage all time with a minimum of 40 games played. He is sitting 6th overall in best GAA in Habs history for a single season. You can find Price’s dominance in many other record books, both Habs and NHL. He is sitting 3rd in games played with 435, 4th in wins with 223, tied for 3rd with Bill Durnan for shutouts with 34, and is 7th overall in career GAA with 2.34 all for the Habs.
His play this year has been absolutely terrific and at times, fans wondered if he was even human. He made saves that would make even Dominik Hasek cringe. He has made eye popping save after save. He has consistently been the Habs best player on the ice all season. He has won numerous Molson Cups within the organization, representing just how great he is. He was voted to the NHL All Star game. The Habs have relied heavily on him this year and he responded by keeping them in games they had no business winning. It’s no secret that if Price was injured for the year, the Habs would not be in the same spot they are in now. He has been a huge part of the team, both on and off the ice. He is an unofficial part of the leadership group and is a respected voice within the locker room. He is recognized in the NHL for being one of the best goalies this year and possibly this generation. Price’s greatness is just starting and this 44 win season is no fluke.
He faced 1,953 shots over this year, which is 4th in the league and is a decent amount of rubber, but he’s only allowed 130 goals, which is 18th in the NHL. Only Cory Schneider has played more games, 69, and let in more goals, 148. Schneider also only faced 29 more shots in those 3 more games. He has been awarded the William Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals.
Price’s overall playoff numbers aren’t the best, but he has had three solid years so far. The 13-14 were his best yet and he played an integral cog in the deep run. This season should see a duplicate performance, as Price is once again on top of his game. The only thing he can’t do is score goals. Yet.
Along with all his new career highs this year, he also posted 9 shutouts this year, 2nd in the league. As stated above, he is now tied for 4th in Habs history for shutouts. If he can produce another year like this in 2015-16, he should surpass Dryden, who has 46, for sole possession of 3rd place. Catching Jacques Plante will require another 12 shutouts, but getting to George Hainsworth, who leads with 75, may be off limits for awhile.
In the next few years, Price will be crushing a lot of records and surpassing numerous legends of the past, should he continue to play with such superiority.
Long story short, the 2014-15 campaign was a great one for Price. His play has been at a level we have not seen from him yet and both the Habs and fans love it. He is definitely showing that he is with elite company and his candidacy for both the Vezina Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy should be one taken very seriously as his numbers support a strong case for both prestigious awards. As the saying goes: The Price is right!
