For over a decade now, when discussing the best goalies in the NHL, it’s impossible to have a conversation that doesn’t include Carey Price.
The long-time Canadiens goaltender has rightfully earned his place toward the top of hockey’s goaltending discussion. He’s a league MVP winner, a Vezina recipient and his name is included in a number of record books for the NHL and Montreal.
But every great story has an ending, and it feels like Price’s journey is coming to a close in the near future. The 35-year-old spoke with the Montreal media on Monday, detailing his plans for his playing future. While he has no plan on retiring yet, injuries to his knee are keeping him off the ice, as he currently sits on long-term injured reserve for Montreal.
If this is the last we have seen of Price, it is a career that had almost everything you want. There were sensational playoff runs, heartwarming moments and plenty of highlight-reel saves made by the Canadian. He will go down as one of the greatest to ever wear a Montreal sweater, which is no small feat considering the storied history of the franchise.
Of course, a Stanley Cup has eluded Price for the entirety of his 15-year career, one of the key reasons that he maintains that a return could be in the future. If he does end his NHL career without a ring, Price is likely to be remembered as one of the greatest goalies to play the game and not hoist Lord Stanley’s mug.
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While the hope is that we see Price again in an NHL game wearing the “bleu, blanc et rouge”, here are the top five moments of Price’s career.
Carey Price top NHL moments
Price’s award haul for the 2014-15 season
Price’s 2014-15 season was one to remember. The Canadiens goalie finished the season as the league leader in goals against average (1.96), save percentage (.933) and wins (44). It helped Montreal to a division win and playoff berth.
He became the first goalie since Jose Theodore in 2022 to win the Hart Trophy, given to the league’s most valuable player, in addition to winning the Vezina, Ted Lindsay Award and William M. Jennings Trophy, becoming only the second player in Canadiens’ history to earn four awards in just a single season.
Price beat out the likes of Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares to win the league MVP, accumulating 139 of the 157 first-place votes. No goalie has won the award since.
Price leads Canadiens to 2021 Stanley Cup Final
Of all the accomplishments and achievement Price has had in his career, for the longest time, the Stanley Cup Final appearance had eluded him. That is until Montreal went on a Cinderella run to the finals in 2021.
The 2020-21 season was a unique one, as the league re-aligned the four divisions to limit cross-border travel due to COVID-19, resulting in the Canadiens ending up in the all-Canadian North Division. Despite owning a record of 24-21-11, Montreal placed fourth in the division and earned a spot in the 2021 playoffs.
No one expected anything from the Habs, especially going against the Maple Leafs in the first round. Well, on the back of Price, not only did Montreal storm back to beat Toronto in seven games, the team knocked off the Jets and Golden Knights to make an improbable showing in the Stanley Cup Final.
The magic ran out against the Lightning, as the Habs lost in five games to the defending champs, but it was Price shining brightest in the biggest spotlight that helped them get there. He ended those playoffs with a 2.28 GAA and .924 SV% in 22 games, even receiving a vote for the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP.
Price’s dominant 2014 playoff run cut short
Speaking of playoffs, the 2021 run from Price was not his first time dominating in the postseason. Another sensational postseason performance from the Habs netminder came during the 2014 playoffs.
Price and the Canadiens ended that season fourth in the Eastern Conference, setting up a first-round matchup with the Lightning. After Montreal easily swept Tampa Bay, it set up a date with rival Boston, the No. 1 seed in the East.
The Bruins went up 3-2 in the series, winning back-to-back in Games 4 and 5 to push Price and the Habs to the brink of elimination. Well, Price had other plans. He posted a 26-save shutout in Game 6 to force a Game 7 and made 29 of 30 saves in a 3-1 over the Bruins to come back and take the series.
Despite the magic from Price that postseason, he was hurt in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers and was unable to play the rest of the postseason. The Canadiens lost in six games to the Rangers, ending their season.
Price’s 43-save shutout in Game 6 of 2013 playoffs
The very next season, Price once again came through in the clutch for the Canadiens.
The same season that Price earned all of those trophies and awards is the same year he helped lead the team to a No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after Montreal won the Atlantic Division. The first round pitted the Habs against the Senators.
Montreal had all of the momentum after three games. Price looked stellar, helping the team grab three one-goal victories and build a 3-0 series lead. However, back-to-back wins for the Senators pushed the series to a Game 6 in Ottawa.
Despite the rowdy crowd at the Canadian Tire Centre, Price silenced the Senators and the Ottawa faithful, making 43 saves in a 2-0 shutout win to eliminate the Sens and advance to the second round.
Montreal went on to lose to the Lightning in the second round, but Price was fantastic in the Ottawa series, posting a .939 SV% in the six games with a 1.94 GAA.
Price surprises fan at 2019 NHL Awards
Price has always been a man of the people, whether that be through his charity work or community service in the city. But it was his connection with one young boy that brought tears to the eyes of the hockey world.
During the 2018-19 season, after practice one day in Montreal, Price noticed a fan wearing his jersey sitting alongside the tunnel. He stopped and agreed to sign some memorabilia for the young boy, who began to tear up.
It turns out the fan, named Anderson Whitehead, had lost his mother to a battle with cancer. Price embraced Anderson, taking extra time to talk with him and sign his jersey and sticks.
After a few minutes, Price got a picture with Anderson and it seemed like that was that. It was a heartwarming moment that made its way all around social media, bringing a smile to hockey fans all over.
That wasn’t the last we would see of Anderson and Price. At the 2019 NHL Awards, Anderson was invited as a special guest to show, as he and Price’s viral moment together won the NHL Fan Choice for the Best Feel-Good Moment of the Year.
As Anderson went up to the stage, a video of Price appeared on the screen. As the Habs goalie began to make a speech, he paused part way through and disappeared from the screen. A few seconds later, he came out from the side of the stage with a Canadiens jersey and embraced an emotional Anderson, causing a standing ovation and cheers from the crowd.
It was going to be hard to find a moment sweeter than the initial interaction between Price and Anderson, but the touching surprise by Price at the awards show certainly gives it a run for its money.
