During the 2005 NHL Draft, the Montreal Canadiens selected goaltender Carey Price fifth overall in a decision that was met with immediate scrutiny. Nearly a decade and a half later, he stands alone as one of the greatest goaltenders in modern-day Canadiens’ history. When his career comes to a complete end, Price will make an excellent argument as a potential future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Related: Should the Montreal Canadiens Retire Carey Price’s Number?
The Hockey Hall of Fame selects six hockey players — four male inductees and two female inductees — along with one builder and one representative of the referee and linesmen committee. For a player to qualify, they must not play in a professional or international hockey game over three years, leaving Price with two years before he can be eligible for nomination.
After sitting out the 2022-23 season, Price is expected to re-enter the long-term injury reserve list due to knee complications. While he remains hopeful to one day play again, his focus is now on getting to a point where he can live a pain-free life. His current contract ends after the 2025-26 season, but he may be a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame before then.
Price’s 2014-15 Season Speaks For Itself
After taking the Canadiens to its first Eastern Conference Final since 2010 and winning Olympic gold, all eyes were on how Price would rebound the following season. A knee injury took him out of Game 1 against the New York Rangers, leaving the Canadiens to resume the series with Dustin Tokarski as their starter. Despite a valiant effort, Montreal fell to the Rangers in six games, leaving fans with a “what could have been” feeling.
Price recovered during the offseason and entered the 2014-15 season with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove. In 66 games, he was phenomenal and elevated the Canadiens to a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division. Most nights, he appeared unstoppable and gave the team the confidence it needed to finish the year with a 50-22-10 record — the club’s first 50-win season since 1988-89. The accolades didn’t stop there, as Price led the league in wins and all statistical categories among goaltenders, capturing the Hart Trophy, Vezina Trophy, Jennings Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and earning the honors as Canada’s Top Athlete and Top Male Athlete.
Price Has Won On (Almost) Every Stage
Before wearing the Canadiens logo, Price was a winner on almost every stage he played on. Before his draft year, he had already won two silver medals at the U17 and U18 World Junior Championships. In 2007, he led Canada to a U20 World Junior Championship gold medal, leading the tournament in goals against and save percentage and earning the tournament’s MVP. He followed that up by becoming the Western Hockey League (WHL) and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Goaltender of the Year before joining the Hamilton Bulldogs and leading them to a Calder Cup championship. He also won the Jack A Butterfly Trophy as the AHL Playoffs MVP.
From 2007 to 2016, Price went undefeated internationally, posting a 16-0-0 record and winning gold on three occasions, including the 2014 Olympic Games and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He participated in seven All-Star Games and was the 2016 Indspire Sports Award, given to the Canadian athlete who best celebrates and encourages excellence in the Aboriginal community.
Comparing Price To Current Hall Of Famer Goaltenders
With Henrik Lundqvist and Tom Barrasso entering the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Hall now contains 43 of the best goaltenders of all time. While winning a Stanley Cup helps elevate one’s chances of earning a spot, it certainly hasn’t hurt the eligibility of Lundqvist and Roberto Luongo. Price’s career, in the NHL and beyond, is comparable to a few names and can help build a case for his eventual nomination.
At the NHL level, Price’s 361 wins in 712 games give him a total win percentage of 50.70 percent, above Luongo (46.84 percent) and close to Lundqvist (51.75 percent). He also has one Vezina win in two finalist appearances, tying Lundqvist (one win in four appearances) and edging out Luongo (no wins in three appearances). Like the aforementioned two, Price has at least one Olympic gold medal and several successful runs internationally. There are parallels to be drawn, with longevity being the only thing separating Price from the pack.
Price’s career may have looked a lot different had it not been for his career-shortening injury in 2014 or that he only had one teammate score above 82 points during his tenure, which was Alex Kovalev (84 points) during his rookie season. Judging by his credentials at every level and his overall performance and dedication to the sport, there’s no doubt that Price will one day join the eight current Hall of Fame goaltenders in Canadiens’ history, and he’ll do so as the most-winningest goaltender in the club’s history.
