Carey Price

Carey Price
Price during the 2010–11 NHL season.
Born	(1987-08-16) August 16, 1987 Anahim Lake, BC, CAN
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	219 lb (99 kg; 15 st 9 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team	Montreal Canadiens
National team	Canada
NHL draft	5th overall, 2005 Montreal Canadiens
Playing 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).

Early life

Carey Price was born in Vancouver, British Columbia but was raised in the remote town of Anahim Lake in northern British Columbia. He was taught to play goaltender by his father on a frozen creek during the winter months and played organized hockey in Williams Lake nearly five and a half hours away by car. Having to make the ten hour round trip three days a week, Carey's father bought a plane to fly him to practice and games.

Playing career

Junior career (2002–2007)

Price talks to backup Alex Auld in Pittsburgh, March 2011.

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 First All-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.

Montreal Canadiens (2007-present)

On October 1, 2007, Price was named to 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 deadline, 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).

Price warming up in 2009

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 Halak 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 four 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 Halak 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 four games, losing one 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 four 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, the playoff hero Halak, or the younger Price. After weeks of media speculation, the Canadiens chose Price, trading Halak to the St. Louis Blues and re-signing Price to a two year, $5.5 million contract to return to his role as starting goaltender.

The 2010–2011 NHL pre-season was a tough start for Price. However during the 2010-11 NHL Regular 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 and was selected to play in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. 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 seven games in the first round to the Boston Bruins. On October 26, 2011, Price got his 100th win in his NHL career in his 214th game. A few months later, he participated to his 3rd All-Star Game. However, the 2011–2012 season did not go well for the Canadiens, and they missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2006–2007 season. Price missed the last 4 games of the season due to a concussion.

On July 2, 2012, Carey re-signed with the Montreal Canadiens, a six-year contract worth $39 million dollars.

During the lockout shortened 2012-13 NHL Season, Price started the year very well, winning 18 of his first 28 starts as the Canadiens, in stark contrast to the previous season, were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference going 29-14-5, good enough for second in the conference. Price's play however, dropped off in the final weeks of the season, going 2-6 and allowing 27 goals. Nonetheless, the Canadiens went into the playoffs against the 7th seeded Ottawa Senators. In Game 4, with the score tied 2-2 as the 3rd period came to an end, Price suffered a groin injury and did not return for the overtime period and was replaced by Peter Budaj, the Senators would go onto score and win the game. Price's injury sidelined him for the rest of the series and the Canadiens were eliminated in five games. Price ended the playoffs with a sub-par 3.26 GAA and an .894 save percentage.

Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2007 Sweden
IIHF World U18 Championships
	2005 Czech Republic
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
	2004 Newfoundland and Labrador

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. He led the 2005 IIHF world U18 Championships in save percentage and wins. Carey Price sold his U18 Championship helmet for charity.

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 is a second cousin 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.

Price has appeared in a video supporting You Can Play, a campaign dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports.

Price is married to Angela Webber, whom he met while playing in the juniors. In an interview, Angela said that the couple were set up on a blind date by Angela's friend, who was dating Price's roommate at the time. They reside in Kelowna during the offseason. Price and Webber were married August 24, 2013 in Washington, the day after, Price flew to Calgary for Hockey Canada's Olympic orientation camp for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

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.
• Won the overall Molson Cup in 2008-09
• Won the overall Molson Cup in 2010-11
• Won the overall Molson Cup in 2011-12
• Won the overall Molson Cup in 2013
• 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.
• Named to the NHL All-Star Game in 2012.

Career statistics

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
2013	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		4	1	2	0	239	13	0	3.26	.894
NHL totals				30	9	17	3	1697	82	3	2.90	.905
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
2007	Canada	WJC	6	6	0	370	.961	7	2	1.14
Junior int'l totals			6	6	0	370	.961	7	2	1.14

External links

• Carey Price biography at The Goaltender Home Page - advanced statistics and game logs
• "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 career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database