Carey Price

Carey Price
Price during the 2009–10 NHL season.
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
Height Weight	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 219 lb (100 kg)
NHL Team	Montreal Canadiens
Born	(1987-08-16)August 16, 1987, Anahim Lake, BC, CAN
NHL Draft	5th overall, 2005 Montreal Canadiens
Pro Career	2007 – present

Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Price was the Canadiens' first round selection (fifth overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Price spent his major-junior career with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Playing career

Before Price was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, he established himself as a top prospect playing with the Tri-City Americans beginning in 2002–03. Price was particularly strong during his draft year in 2004–05, posting 8-shutouts, a 2.34 goals against average (GAA) and a .920 save percentage. In his last year in the WHL, he was awarded the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL goaltender of the year and was named to the WHL FirstAll-Star Team. He was also named CHL Goaltender of the Year.

Upon completing his award-winning season in the WHL, Price immediately began his professional career with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League (AHL), having signed with the Canadiens in 2007 to a three-year entry-level contract. He joined the Bulldogs for the last three games of the regular season and the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs, recording his first professional game and win on April 13, 2007 against the Grand Rapids Griffins. He was named the first star of the game upon stopping 27 of 28 shots. Price went on to lead the Bulldogs to a 15–6 playoff record and the 2007 Calder Cup championship, posting an impressive 2.06 GAA and .936 save percentage. In his first game of the Calder Cup finals, he stopped all 46 shots to post a shutout. He subsequently won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the Calder Cup playoffs MVP, making him the youngest player ever to receive the award.

He is the only goaltender in hockey history to be named CHL Goaltender of the Year, World Junior Championship's tournament MVP and win the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy all in the same year. He is also the only goaltender in hockey history to win the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy the same year as playing junior.

On October 1, 2007, Price was named to the Montreal Canadiens roster for the start of the 2007–08 season. He made his highly anticipated Canadiens debut on October 10, 2007, against the Pittsburgh Penguins and recorded 26 saves in a 3–2 win. After the first month of the season, he was awarded the Canadiens' Molson Cup for October, given to the player with the most first-star selections. Although re-assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs midway through the season in January, he was called back up shortly over a month later. With the trading of starting goaltender Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals before the trading ddline, Price assumed the starting role for the Canadiens. He was subsequently named the NHL Rookie of the Month for March and the NHL First Star of the Week (ending April 6, 2008) as the Canadiens finished first overall in the Eastern Conference and earned their first division title since 1991–92. Price completed the regular season leading all rookie goaltenders in wins (24), save percentage (.920), and shutouts (3).

Entering the playoffs against the Boston Bruins, Price recorded a 1–0 win on April 15, 2008, becoming the first Canadiens rookie to post a playoff shutout since Patrick Roy in 1986. He would go on to record another shutout in game seven to eliminate Boston. Montreal lost in the second round to the Philadelphia Flyers with Price losing 3 of the last 4 games.

After a strong start to the 2008–09 season, in which he earned a second Molson Cup in November, Price injured his ankle on December 30, 2008. Forced out of action for nearly a month, during which he was voted in as a starting goalie for the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal (along with teammates Alexei Kovalev, Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek) he made his return to action on January 20, 2009 after backup Jaroslav Halák was pulled in a 4–2 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers. Going into the 2009 playoffs as the eighth and final seed, the Canadiens played the Boston Bruins in the opening round for the second consecutive season. They were swept in four games, with the Bruins scoring at least 4 times in each game. In the final game at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Price surrendered four goals in two periods. After stopping a weak dump-in, the crowd cheered sarcastically and Price responded by putting his arms up in the air, similar to Patrick Roy's gesture on December 2, 1995, in a game after which Roy requested a trade from the Canadiens.

Price struggled throughout the 2009-10 season, winning only 13 games and losing the starting job to Halák as the Canadiens entered the playoffs as the eighth and final seed. Although the Canadiens made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference final, upsetting both the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins along the way, Price appeared in only 4 games, losing 1 and getting no decision in each of the others, only coming off the bench when the game was out of hand. The highlight of the season for Price was stopping 37 of 38 shots in a 5-1 win over the Boston Bruins in the Canadiens 100 year anniversary game on December 4, 2009, and the low point was surrendering 4 goals in his only start of the playoffs. In the summer of 2010, both Price and Halák became restricted free agents and a goaltending debate emerged in Montreal over who would remain with the team, playoff-hero Halák, or the younger Price. After weeks of media speculation the Canadiens chose Price, trading Halák to the St. Louis Blues and re-signing Price to a two year, $5.5 million contract. The 2010-2011 NHL Pre-Season was a tough start for Price. However during the 2010-11 NHL Season, Price played in 72 games recording new career highs including 38 wins, 8 shutouts, a 2.35 goals against average, and a .923 save percentage. This play from Price allowed the Montreal Canadiens to enter the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. This strong play continued for Price in the playoffs posting a .935 save percentage, however it was not enough to lead the Canadiens to victory as they fell in 7 games in the first round to the Boston Bruins.

Medal record
Competitor for Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	2007 Sweden
IIHF World U18 Championships
Silver	2005 Czech Republic

International play

Price made his international debut for Canada at the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships in the Czech Republic. He appeared in four games, earning a silver medal as Team Canada was defeated by the United States 5–1 in the gold medal game. Two years later, in his final year of major junior, Price was named to Team Canada for the 2007 World Junior Championships in Sweden. He led Team Canada to a third consecutive gold medal and was named Tournament MVP and Top Goaltender after going 6-0 with 2 shutouts, a 1.14 GAA and .961 save percentage. He was also named to the Tournament All-Star Team along with teammates Jonathan Toews and Kris Letang.

Personal

Price was raised in Anahim Lake, British Columbia with sister Kayla by parents Jerry and Lynda Price. His father, Jerry Price, was also a goaltender; he was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the eighth round, 126th overall in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. Although he never played in the NHL, he did play four seasons of pro hockey in various leagues and is currently the goaltending coach of the Tri-City Americans. His mother, Lynda, is the former chief of the Ulkatcho First Nation. Phoenix Coyotes' captain Shane Doan and Keaton Ellerby of the Florida Panthers are second cousins of Price. Price was named as an honorary co-chair at the 2010 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships that were held in Ottawa, Ontario in May 2010. Rumors of Price being a Christian are floating around because of the cross on the back of his helmet. The rumors have not yet been confirmed.

Awards

• Named to the WHL West First All-Star Team in 2007.
• Won the Del Wilson Trophy (WHL Top Goaltender) in 2007.
• Won the CHL Goaltender of the Year Award in 2007.
• Won the Calder Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2007.
• Won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy (Calder Cup MVP) in 2007.
• Named NHL Rookie of the Month in March 2008.
• Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2008.
• Named to the NHL All-Star Game in 2009 (starter).
• Named to the NHL YoungStars Game in 2009
• Named to the NHL All-Star Game in 2011.

Career statistics

Regular season

Bolded numbers indicate league leader.

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T/OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2002–03	Tri-City Americans	WHL		1	0	0	0	20	2	0	6.00	.857
2003–04	Tri-City Americans	WHL		28	8	9	3	1363	54	1	2.38	.915
2004–05	Tri-City Americans	WHL		63	24	31	8	3712	145	8	2.34	.920
2005–06	Tri-City Americans	WHL		55	21	25	6	3072	147	3	2.87	.906
2006–07	Tri-City Americans	WHL		46	30	13	1	2722	111	3	2.45	.917
2006–07	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		2	1	1	0	117	3	0	1.53	.949
2007–08	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		10	6	4	0	581	26	1	2.69	.896
2007–08	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		41	24	12	3	2413	103	3	2.56	.920
2008–09	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		52	23	16	10	3036	143	1	2.83	.905
2009–10	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		41	13	20	5	2358	109	0	2.77	.912
2010–11	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		72	38	28	6	4206	165	8	2.35	.923
NHL totals				206	98	76	24	12013	520	12	2.60	.916
AHL totals				12	7	5	0	698	29	1	2.49	.906
WHL totals				193	83	78	18	10889	459	15	2.53	.914

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2004	Tri-City Americans	WHL		8	5	2	1	470	19	0	2.43	.906
2005	Tri-City Americans	WHL		5	1	3	1	325	12	0	2.22	.937
2006	Tri-City Americans	WHL		5	1	3	1	302	12	0	2.39	.896
2007	Tri-City Americans	WHL		6	2	4	0	348	17	0	2.93	.911
2007	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		22	15	6	0	1314	45	2	2.06	.936
2008	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		11	5	6	0	648	30	2	2.78	.901
2009	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		4	0	4	0	219	15	0	4.11	.878
2010	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		4	0	1	0	135	8	0	3.56	.890
2011	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		7	3	4	3	455	16	1	2.11	.934
NHL totals				26	8	15	3	1457	69	3	2.84	.907
AHL totals				22	15	6	0	1314	45	2	2.06	.936
WHL totals				24	9	12	3	1445	60	0	2.49	.914

International

Year	Team	Event	GP	W	L	MIN	SV%	GA	SO	GAA

External links

• "Price Steals the Show for Canada" by Bill Meltzer -- NHL.com December 2, 2007
• "Carey Price: Continuing the legacy" by Shane Malloy -- NHL.com June 2, 2006
• Hockey Canada player profile
• Carey Price's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Kyle Chipchura

Montreal Canadiens first round draft pick 2005

Succeeded by David Fischer