Carey Price
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Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...
for the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''
The Hockey News ''The Hockey News'' (''THN'') is a Canadian-based ice hockey magazine. ''The Hockey News'' was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Will Cote and has since become the most recognized hockey publication in North America. The magazine has a readers ...
'', and
EA Sports EA Sports is a division of Electronic Arts that develops and publishes sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to imitate real-life sports networks by calling themselves the "EA Sports Network" ...
; and one of the greatest goaltenders in the
history of the Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens ice hockey club, formally , was founded on December 4, 1909. The Canadiens are the oldest professional hockey franchise in the world. Created as a founding member of the National Hockey Association (NHA) with the aim of appe ...
by several media outlets. As of the end of the 2021–22 NHL season, Price is the winningest goaltender in Canadiens history with 361 wins. Beginning his junior career with the
Tri-City Americans The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at Toyota Center (Kennewick), Toyota Center. Every game is broadcast locally on the Tri-City A ...
in the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
in 2002, Price was drafted fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft following his second season with the Tri-City Americans. Following a further two seasons with the Americans, where he won both the
Del Wilson Trophy The Del Wilson Trophy is presented annually to the Western Hockey League's goaltender judged to be the best at his position. The award is named after Del Wilson for his many years of service to both the Regina Pats and the League. Wilson was an own ...
as the top goaltender in the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
(WHL) and
CHL Goaltender of the Year The CHL Goaltender of the Year Award is given out annually to the top goaltender in the Canadian Hockey League. It is chosen from the winners of the league awards; the OHL Goaltender of the Year, the Del Wilson Trophy ( WHL), and the Jacques Pl ...
in his final season of
major junior Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
in 2007. Joining the Canadiens' farm team, the
Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 OHL season, 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Cent ...
of the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
(AHL) just as the
Calder Cup The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars. The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its curr ...
playoffs begun, Price led the Bulldogs to the Calder Cup championship, winning the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the tournament
MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
. Price made the Canadiens roster for the 2007–08 season as the backup goaltender before ultimately becoming the starting goaltender later that season. In 2015, he won the
Ted Lindsay Award The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players' Association. First awarded in 1971 ...
,
William M. Jennings Trophy The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it ... based on regular-season play." From 1946 until ...
,
Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two NHL general managers vote to determine the winner. It is named in ...
, and
Hart Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was donat ...
, becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to win all four individual awards in the same season. In 2021, Price led the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1993 before eventually losing to the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
in five games. Internationally, Price has represented Canada at various tournaments at junior levels, winning silver medals at the
World U-17 Hockey Challenge The World U-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. Prior to 2011, the tournament did not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games were held. ...
in 2004 and the
IIHF World U18 Championship The IIHF U18 World Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a sy ...
in
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
. He won a gold medal at the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Sweden. In 2014, Price was named to the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team and led the Canadian team to a gold medal at the
2014 Winter Olympics , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , athletes = 2,873 , opening = 7 February 2014 , closing = 23 February 2014 , opened_by = President Vladimir Putin , cauldron = , stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
in
Sochi Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
, posting a .972 save percentage and 0.59 goals against average across 5 games in the process. Price's splendid play earned him the tournament's top goaltending award, from the
International Ice Hockey Federation The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF; french: Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace; german: Internationale Eishockey-Föderation) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 83 m ...
(IIHF) directorate. In 2016, Price went undefeated en route to winning the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.


Early life

Carey Price was born in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
to Lynda and Jerry Price. His mother is the chief of the
Ulkatcho First Nation The Ulkatcho First Nation is a Dakelh First Nations government in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is a member of the Carrier Chilcotin Tribal Council, and its offices are located in Anahim Lake, British Columbia at the western edg ...
. His father was also a goaltender and drafted by the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
126th overall in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. Although Jerry never played in the NHL, he did play four seasons of professional hockey in various leagues and was for a time the goaltending coach of the
Tri-City Americans The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at Toyota Center (Kennewick), Toyota Center. Every game is broadcast locally on the Tri-City A ...
. Price has a younger sister, Kayla, and is second cousins with former professional ice hockey player
Shane Doan Shane Albert Doan (born October 10, 1976) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player currently serving as chief hockey development officer for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Doan spent the entir ...
. When Price was three, his family moved to the remote town of
Anahim Lake :''The subject of this article should not be confused with Anaham, which is a different community located nine kilometres east of Alexis Creek, British Columbia, which is in the same area.'' Anahim Lake is a small community in British Columbia. ...
in central British Columbia where he was raised. He was taught to play
goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...
by his father on a frozen creek during the winter months and played organized hockey in Williams Lake over five hours and away by car on
Highway 20 Route 20, or Highway 20, may refer to: International * European route E20 Australia * Sturt Highway (NSW/VIC/SA) * Yarra Bank Highway Brazil * BR-020 Canada * Alberta Highway 20 * British Columbia Highway 20 * Manitoba Highway 20 *New B ...
. Having to make the ten-hour round trip three days a week, Carey's father eventually bought a
Piper PA-28 Cherokee The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of two-seat or four-seat light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft and designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use.Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', pages 62–64. Werner & Werner Corp, ...
to fly him to practice and games.


Playing career


Tri-City Americans

Price made his first appearance in the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
(WHL) in a single game for the
Tri-City Americans The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at Toyota Center (Kennewick), Toyota Center. Every game is broadcast locally on the Tri-City A ...
during the 2002–03 season. He then made the Tri-City roster the next season, appearing in 28 games as the backup for
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
prospect
Tyler Weiman Tyler Ray Weiman (born June 5, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche. Playing career Weiman was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was d ...
, posting a 2.38
Goals against average Goals against average (GAA) also known as "average goals against" or "AGA" is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on s ...
(GAA) and .915
save percentage Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various goal-scoring sports that track saves as a statistic. In ice hockey and lacrosse, it is a statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal ...
. The next season, Price took over as the primary starter of the team and established himself as a top goaltender, playing in a league-high 63 games with a 2.34 GAA and .920 save percentage and eight shutouts, both in the league top ten. Ranking as the best
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
n goaltender by
NHL Central Scouting The NHL Central Scouting Services (CSS) is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the profe ...
, Price was drafted fifth overall by the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
, a move considered surprising by many who thought Price would not be drafted until the middle of the first round. During the 2005–06 season, Price's play in Tri-City suffered considerably and he ended the season with a 2.87 GAA and a .906 save percentage while starting 55 games. Price rebounded the next season with a very strong 2006–07 season, posting an excellent 2.45 GAA and .917 save percentage while winning both the
Del Wilson Trophy The Del Wilson Trophy is presented annually to the Western Hockey League's goaltender judged to be the best at his position. The award is named after Del Wilson for his many years of service to both the Regina Pats and the League. Wilson was an own ...
as the top WHL goaltender and the
CHL Goaltender of the Year The CHL Goaltender of the Year Award is given out annually to the top goaltender in the Canadian Hockey League. It is chosen from the winners of the league awards; the OHL Goaltender of the Year, the Del Wilson Trophy ( WHL), and the Jacques Pl ...
award. Despite this, the Americans were eliminated in six games during the 2007 playoffs.


Hamilton Bulldogs

Following Tri-City's early playoff exit, later that spring, Price joined the Montreal Canadiens farm team, the
Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 OHL season, 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Cent ...
, just before the start of the 2007 Calder Cup playoffs. In two regular season appearances with the Bulldogs, Price allowed only three goals and won one game. Price led the Bulldogs on a remarkable run that spring, defeating the
Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town located 14 miles east of the state capital of Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the c ...
four games to one in the finals as the team won their first
Calder Cup The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars. The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its curr ...
. Price became only the third teenage goaltender to win the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff
MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
, posting a 2.06 GAA and .936 save percentage.


Montreal Canadiens (2007–present)


2007–2013: Early career

Price made his highly anticipated Canadiens debut on October 10, 2007, against the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
and recorded 26 saves in a 3–2 win. After the first month of the season, he was awarded the Canadiens'
Molson Cup The Molson Cup is an award presented to a distinguished player on Canadian ice hockey teams. After each game, the " three game stars" are selected, usually by a member of the media. At the end of the season, the player with the most three-star ho ...
for October, given to the player with the most first-star selections. Although reassigned 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 Cristobal Huet (; born September 3, 1975) is a French- Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a goalie coach for Lausanne HC of the National League (NL). He previously played for HC Lugano and HC Fribourg-Gottéron and ...
to the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
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). He was named to the
NHL All-Rookie Team The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year. The team was first named a ...
in recognition for his accomplishments in his first year in the NHL. Entering the playoffs against the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
, Price recorded a 1–0 win on April 15, 2008, becoming the first Canadiens rookie to post a playoff shutout since
Patrick Roy Patrick Jacques Roy (; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender and executive, who serves as the head coach for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 2017, Roy was named o ...
in
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...
. He would go on to record another shutout in game seven to eliminate Boston. Montreal lost in the second round to the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
, with Price losing three of the last four 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 goaltender for the
2009 NHL All-Star Game The 2009 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, home of the Montreal Canadiens, in conjunction with the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations on Sunday evening, January 25, 2009. The game was held betwe ...
in
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
(along with teammates
Alexei Kovalev Alexei Vyacheslavovich Kovalev ( rus, Алексей Вячеславович Ковалёв, , ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej vʲɪtɕɪˈslavəvʲɪtɕ kəvɐˈlʲɵf; born February 24, 1973) is a Russian professional ice hockey coach, executive and former pr ...
, Andrei Markov and
Mike Komisarek Michael Komisarek (born January 19, 1982) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who spent his career with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career A ...
) he made his return to action on January 20, 2009, after backup
Jaroslav Halák Jaroslav Halák (; born 13 May 1985) is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Halák was selected with the 271st overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens in the ninth and final ro ...
was pulled in a 4–2 loss to the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
. 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 Bell Centre (), formerly known as Molson Centre (), is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montr ...
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 The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
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 2010 off-season, both Price and Halák became
restricted free agent A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), or National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain ...
s and a goaltending debate emerged in Montreal over who would remain with the team – the playoff hero Halák or the younger Price. After weeks of media speculation, the Canadiens chose Price, trading Halák to the
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
and re-signing Price to a two-year, $5.5 million contract to return to his role as starting goaltender. The 2010–11 pre-season was a tough start for Price. During the 2010–11 regular season, however, Price played in 72 games recording new career highs including 38 wins, eight shutouts a 2.35 GAA and a .923 save percentage, and was selected to play in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. This play from Price allowed the Canadiens to enter the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. This strong play continued for Price in the playoffs posting a .935 save percentage. It was not enough, however, to lead the Canadiens to victory, as they ultimately fell in seven games in the first round to the Boston Bruins. On October 26, 2011, Price earned his 100th win in his NHL career in his 214th game. A few months later, he participated to his third All-Star Game. The 2011–12 season, however, did not go well for the Canadiens, and they missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2006–07 season. Price missed the last four games of the season due to a concussion. On July 2, 2012, Price re-signed with the Canadiens on a six-year contract worth US$39 million. During the
lockout Lockout may refer to: * Lockout (industry), a type of work stoppage **Dublin Lockout, a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers 1913 - 1914 * Lockout (sports), lockout in sports leagues **MLB lockout, lock ...
-shortened 2012–13 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 seventh seeded
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
. In Game 4, with the score tied 2–2 as the third period came to an end, Price suffered a groin injury and did not return for the
overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
period and was replaced by
Peter Budaj Peter Budaj ( ; born 18 September 1982) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey goaltender. He had previously played in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Avalanche, which drafted him, Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, and Tam ...
; the Senators would go on to 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.


2013–2014: Eastern Conference Final run

The 2013–14 season saw Price return to form, recording 34 wins to go along with a career best 2.32 GAA and .927 save percentage, leading the Canadiens to their second 100-point season since the 2007–08 season. The Canadiens entered the
2014 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 16, 2014, and ended June 13, 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Rangers four games to one in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Boston Bruins made the ...
as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference against the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
, whom they swept in four games, marking Price's first playoff series win since his rookie year. The Montreal Canadiens then faced the
President's Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
-winning
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
in the second round for the fourth time of Price's NHL career. In contrast to the previous two postseason meetings, the Canadiens upset the Bruins, ousting them in seven games. Following a 4–2 defeat in Game 5 at
TD Garden TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is named after its sponsor, TD Bank, a subsidiary of the Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Ontario. It opened in 1995 as a replacement for the original Boston Garden and has been k ...
, Price shut out the Bruins in Game 6 by a score of 4–0 before stopping 29 shots in a 3–1 victory in Game 7 to eliminate Boston and advance to the
Conference Finals Conference Finals may refer to: * NBA Conference Finals, National Basketball Association * NHL Conference Finals The National Hockey League (NHL) Conference Finals are the Eastern Conference and Western Conference championship series of the NHL. ...
. His and the Canadiens' run, however, ended against the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
. In Game 1 at the
Bell Centre Bell Centre (), formerly known as Molson Centre (), is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montr ...
, with the Rangers up 2–0 near the end of the second period, Rangers forward Chris Kreider crashed into Price. He would stay in net for the remainder of the period, allowing two more goals before the intermission. Price was then replaced by backup Peter Budaj in the third period as the Rangers scored three more goals to hammer the Canadiens 7–2 in Game 1. Price was soon ruled out for the rest of the series with an unspecified lower-body injury, as the Canadiens fell in six games to the Rangers, the second year in-a-row Price had a premature ending to his playoffs due to injury.


2014–2017: Hart and Vezina Trophies

Price would follow up 2014–15 with the best season of his career, as he would finish the season as the leader of the three leading categories for goaltenders: GAA (1.96), save percentage (.933), and wins (44), all career highs as he would help the Canadiens win the Atlantic Division. That season he would go on to win the
Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was donat ...
as the league's most valuable player, the
Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two NHL general managers vote to determine the winner. It is named in ...
as best goaltender, the
Ted Lindsay Award The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players' Association. First awarded in 1971 ...
as most valuable player as voted by the NHLPA, and the
William M. Jennings Trophy The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it ... based on regular-season play." From 1946 until ...
for fewest goals allowed (in a tie with
Corey Crawford Corey Crawford (born December 31, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Crow" by teammates and fans, he played his entire professional career with the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), w ...
of the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
with 189 goals allowed). He became only the second player in franchise history to win 4 awards in one season. Early in the 2015–16 season, Price suffered a knee injury. At the time of the injury, he was expected to return after six weeks. However, on April 6, 2016, the Canadiens announced that Price would not return for the remainder of the season. The extent of Price's injury was revealed to be a medial collateral ligament injury (MCL sprain). At the beginning of the 2016–17 season, Price would set a record for most consecutive wins to start a season with 10 (later be surpassed by Jack Campbell of the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
in the 2020–21 season). On July 2, 2017, it was announced that Price signed an eight-year contract extension with an annual cap hit of US$10.5 million totaling to US$84 million for the entire contract. His new contract will run through the 2025–26 season. This made Price the highest paid goaltender in the 2018–2019 NHL season, surpassing goaltender
Henrik Lundqvist Henrik Lundqvist (; born 2 March 1982) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played his entire 15-season career with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Before winning the Vezina Trophy in 2012, he ...
.


2017–2020: Injury and career milestones

After a dismal month at the start of the 2017–18 season, Price left the lineup due to a minor lower body injury, leaving goaltenders
Al Montoya Álvaro Montoya (born February 13, 1985) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played for parts of nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Arizona Coyotes, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets, Flor ...
and
Charlie Lindgren Charlie Lindgren (born December 18, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Lindgren began his junior career with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USH ...
to take his place. On February 22, 2018, Price was ruled out indefinitely after sustaining a concussion in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. On March 19, 2018, Price returned from his concussion and dressed for the first time in 13 games for a game against the Florida Panthers. Despite his injuries, Price made in his 557th career NHL start for the Canadiens on April 3, 2018, surpassing the previous franchise record holder
Jacques Plante Joseph Jacques Omer Plante (; January 17, 1929 – February 27, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947 to 1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey. He played ...
. On October 27, 2018, after a 3–0 win over the Boston Bruins, Price surpassed Patrick Roy for second place in Canadiens franchise career wins with his 290th career victory. Price was named to the
2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game The 2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at SAP Center in San Jose, home of the San Jose Sharks on January 26, 2019. San Jose last held the NHL All Star Game in 1997. This was the fourth consecutive All-Star Game that used a four-te ...
, his sixth All-Star nomination, but he chose to defer due to a lower-body injury. On March 12, 2019, with a 3–1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, Price surpassed Jacques Plante for first place in Canadiens franchise career wins with his 315th.


2020–2021: Pandemic seasons and Stanley Cup Final

For the 2019–20 season, Price played 58 games in the regular season, recording a disappointing .909 save percentage. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, however, the regular season was ended prematurely. Price's presence on the Canadiens' lineup became a point of discussion in the media during the NHL's debates on the format for the belated 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, which were to be held in an expanded format that allowed the Canadiens to participate for the first time in three years. The Canadiens were scheduled to play a qualifying round against the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
, and it was reported that the Penguins had objected to the idea of a best-of-three series on the basis that Price's presence gave the Canadiens an unfair advantage relative to their regular season performance. The Penguins publicly denied this subsequently. Ultimately a best-of-five format was chosen instead. The Canadiens defeated the Penguins 3–1 in the qualifying round, with Price recording a .947 save percentage. The team went on to lose the first round to the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
4 games to 2. With pandemic restrictions and effects still in place, the NHL arranged for all teams to play exclusively within realigned divisions for the 2020–21 season, with all Canadian teams playing in the newly formed
North Division Northern Division or North Division can refer to: Sports * Northern Division (Rugby Union) Leagues of England * Queensland Rugby League Northern Division * Southern League Northern Division of the Southern Football League in England * FA Women' ...
. Towards the end of the season, Price sustained a concussion on April 20th after a collision with Alex Chiasson of the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
. As part of his return to the ice, he played a game with the Canadiens' AHL affiliate the
Laval Rocket The Laval Rocket (french: Rocket de Laval) are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) as an affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Montreal Canadiens. Based in Laval, Quebec, Canada, the Rocket play th ...
on May 17. Price finished the regular season with an underwhelming .901 save percentage and 2.64 goals against average as the Canadiens clinched the final seed in the playoffs. Price would see notable statistical improvements throughout the playoffs while the Canadiens advanced to their first Stanley Cup Final in 28 years. The Canadiens beat the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
in seven games by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit in round 1, then swept the
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...
in round 2, and finally defeated the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
four games to two in the semifinals to win the
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl The Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, or simply the Campbell Bowl, is a team award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL). Named after Clarence Campbell, who served as president of the NHL from to , it has been awarded for different accomplishme ...
. Price was widely cited as the most important player in the Canadiens' deep run to the Final. When asked about the difference between Price's regular and post-season performances in recent years, then-Canadiens general manager
Marc Bergevin Marc Bergevin (born August 11, 1965) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He is currently senior advisor to the general manager of the Los Angeles Kings. Bergevin played as a defenceman in the NHL. Playing career As ...
remarked "I guess the expression we could use he’s a big-game player. He rises to the occasion. He does extremely well under pressure." In the Stanley Cup Finals against the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
, Price and the Canadiens lost the first three games, but won Game 4 in overtime to avoid getting swept. Price made 32 saves in the win and then 29 saves in Game 5, which the Canadiens lost 1–0 as the Lightning won their second-consecutive Stanley Cup title.


2021 Expansion Draft

With the arrival of the
Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...
as the League's thirty-second team, the
2021 NHL Expansion Draft The 2021 NHL Expansion Draft was an expansion draft that was conducted by the National Hockey League on July 21, 2021, to fill the roster of the league's expansion team for the 2021–22 NHL season, 2021–22 season, the Seattle Kraken. Backgrou ...
was scheduled. As each team was only allowed to protect one goaltender and Price had a contractual guarantee of protection in such situations, it was widely assumed that the Kraken would select Price's backup Allen on the basis of his strong performance in the previous season and economical contract. In a major surprise, Price proposed to waive his no movement clause so the Canadiens could instead protect Allen, with the team's calculation being that the Kraken would opt not to take up Price's contract due to its cap hit and duration. Ultimately, the Kraken declined the opportunity to select Price, and selected defenseman Cale Fleury from the Canadiens instead. ''
The Athletic ''The Athletic'' is a subscription-based sports website that provides national and local coverage in 47 North American cities as well as the United Kingdom. ''The Athletic'' also covers national stories from top professional and college sports ...
'' remarked afterward that "now that Seattle has taken a pass, the reality that Price will play his entire career in a Canadiens uniform seems impossible to refute."


2021–present: Health struggles

Price underwent knee surgery in July 2021 and was initially expected to be ready to begin the season on October 13. However, on October 7 it was announced by the Canadiens that Price would be entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, established to help NHL players and their families deal with substance abuse, mental health, and other personal challenges. On November 9, 2021, Price rejoined his Canadiens teammates and went on to release a statement explaining his leave, revealing that he made the decision to enter a residential treatment facility for substance abuse following "years of neglecting isown mental health". Following his departure from the player assistance program, Price embarked on an extended rehabilitation of his knee, a process that lasted months past what was initially expected and involved multiple setbacks. In his absence, the Canadiens, plagued by injuries to other players, fell to the bottom of the league standings. Team owner
Geoff Molson Geoffrey Eric Molson (born July 23, 1971), is a Canadian businessman and current president and chief executive officer and co-owner of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens, Evenko, Bell Centre and L'Équipe Spectra alongside his bro ...
sacked general manager Bergevin, and subsequently coach
Dominique Ducharme Dominique Ducharme (15 May 1765 – 3 August 1853), from Lachine, Quebec, was a French Canadian fur trader, settler, militia officer, and public servant. He was named François Ducharme at birth, the son of Jean-Marie Ducharme. In 1793 Duch ...
was removed as well, replaced by
Martin St. Louis Martin St. Louis (French spelling Martin St-Louis, ; born June 18, 1975) is a Canadian hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is the current head coach of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). An undraf ...
, a former teammate of Price's on the 2014 Canadian Olympic team. In early April, it was announced that Price would travel with the team to away games against New Jersey and Toronto, but would not play in either. After days of speculation, it was confirmed that he would make his first start on April 15 against the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
, the Canadiens' seventy-fifth game of the season. In his return, he gave up 2 goals on 20 shots in a 3–0 loss to the Islanders. After three additional games, Price consulted with his New York-based specialist on continued knee inflammation, but said "there were no real questions answered for me." He returned to the net for the Canadiens' final game of the season, a 10–2 rout of the
Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
. Price indicated that he would seek further answers over the summer. Addressing the possibility that the season-ender was his final game with the team, he said "if it is it, that would be a great way to do it." Price was named a finalist for the
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL h ...
, awarded to the player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." On winning the award, he observed "there's obstacles in life that will always challenge you, and I think having the ability to overcome those and keep things in perspective and keep moving forward is something that we should all be teaching our children and loved ones." On August 18, 2022, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes announced that Price was unlikely to play during the 2022–23 season, and that if he were to return at all, it would likely require additional surgery. Price later disclosed in an interview with ''
The Athletic ''The Athletic'' is a subscription-based sports website that provides national and local coverage in 47 North American cities as well as the United Kingdom. ''The Athletic'' also covers national stories from top professional and college sports ...
'' that the contemplated surgery was an osteochondral autograft transfer, but that the odds of success were such that it was unlikely he would pursue it, given the risk to his daily quality of life were it not to succeed.


International play

Price made his international debut for Canada at the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships in the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. 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 Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
, Price was named to Team Canada for the 2007 World Junior Championships in
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
. He led Team Canada to a third consecutive gold medal and was named Tournament MVP and Top Goaltender after going 6–0 with two shutouts, a 1.14 GAA and .961 save percentage. He was also named to the Tournament All-Star team along with teammates
Jonathan Toews Jonathan Bryan Toews ( ; born April 29, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Captain Serious", Toews was selected by the Blackhawks with the t ...
and
Kris Letang Kristopher Joseph Pierre Irwin Letang (born April 24, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played ...
. He led the 2005 IIHF world U18 Championships in save percentage and wins. Price sold his U18 Championship helmet for charity. On January 7, 2014, Price was named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team along with goaltenders Mike Smith of the
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
and
Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
of the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
. Price, along with close friend and teammate
P. K. Subban Pernell-Karl Sylvester Subban ( ; born May 13, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Between 2009 and 2022, he played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, a ...
, became the first
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
players to be selected for Team Canada since
Mark Recchi Mark Louis Recchi (; born February 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former assistant coach. Recchi played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, ...
in the
1998 Nagano Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in the ...
. Soon after arriving in
Sochi Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
, it was announced that Price would start in Canada's first game of the tournament against
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. Price had a strong debut, stopping 18 of 19 shots against Norway in a 3–1 Canadian win. Price's strong play continued, allowing only a single goal in a 2–1 victory against
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
in the
round-robin tournament A round-robin tournament (or all-go-away-tournament) is a competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero ...
. In Canada's quarter-final game, Price backstopped Canada over
Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
2–1. On February 21, 2014, Price played a pivotal role in a 1–0 victory against
Team USA The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions. Olympic teams Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...
in the semifinals. Price stopped all 31 shots and
shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
Team USA, powering Team Canada into the
gold medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have bee ...
game against
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
. In his second consecutive shutout of the
Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
, Price made 24 saves in a 3–0 victory and won his first gold medal as an Olympian. Price ended the tournament undefeated in five games with a 0.59 GAA and .971 save percentage and was named the tournament's best goaltender by the
International Ice Hockey Federation The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF; french: Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace; german: Internationale Eishockey-Föderation) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 83 m ...
(IIHF).


Playing style

Like many modern goaltenders, Price uses the "butterfly hybrid" technique, a mix of "stand-up" and "
butterfly style In ice hockey, butterfly style is a technique of goaltending distinguished by the goaltender guarding the lower part of the net by dropping to the knees to block attempts to score. The butterfly style derives its name from the resemblance of the ...
" goaltending. Using this style, Price will stay on his feet for high shots, and drop to his knees, pointing his skates outwards with his pads covering the bottom width of the net. Price has been lauded by his fellow teammates and opponents alike for his exceptionally calm demeanor on the ice, with 2014 Olympic teammate and
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
defenseman
Drew Doughty Drew Doughty (born December 8, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected second overall by the Kings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft fro ...
proclaiming Price as being "the calmest goalie eplayed in front of." Price's methodical and calm approach to the play often allows him to make difficult saves look mundane and routine.Price is considered by the Canadiens' management and coaches to be one of the leaders of the team and is present during meetings with the team's captain and alternate captains.


Philanthropy

In 2015, Price teamed up with CCM to donate $10,000 worth of equipment to a minor hockey league in Williams Lake, B.C. Since 2014, Price has been an ambassador to the Breakfast Club of Canada which aims to provide all children across Canada with nutritious meals. During the 2019 NHL Awards, Price, together with model
Camille Kostek Camille Veronica Kostek (born February 19, 1992) is an American model, television host, and actress. She gained recognition for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue, and achieved further ...
, presented hockey fan Anderson Whitehead the Feel Good Moment Award. Whitehead's mother always wanted her son to meet the goaltender but was not able to arrange it before she died from cancer in November 2018.


Personal life

Price, who is of
Ulkatcho First Nation The Ulkatcho First Nation is a Dakelh First Nations government in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is a member of the Carrier Chilcotin Tribal Council, and its offices are located in Anahim Lake, British Columbia at the western edg ...
descent through his mother, was named as an honorary co-chair at the 2010 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships that were held in Ottawa, Ontario, in May 2010. Price is of the Nuxalk and Southern Carrier Aboriginal heritage. Price met his wife, Angela (), while playing with the Tri-City Americans. In an interview, Angela said that the couple were set up on a
blind date A blind date is a social engagement between two people who have not met, usually arranged by a mutual acquaintance. Structure A blind date is arranged for by a mutual acquaintance of both participants. The two people who take part in the blind ...
by her friend, who was dating Carey's roommate at the time. They live in
Kelowna Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna derives from the Okanagan word ''ki ...
, British Columbia during the off-season. They were married on August 24, 2013 in
Benton City, Washington Benton City is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,038 at the 2010 census. The city shares a school district with the adjacent unincorporated community of Kiona. History Pre-incorporation Benton City was o ...
, near Angela's hometown of
Kennewick Kennewick () is a city in Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located along the southwest bank of the Columbia River, just southeast of the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima rivers and across from the confluence of the C ...
. The next day, Price flew to
Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
for Hockey Canada's Olympic orientation camp for the
2014 Winter Olympics , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , athletes = 2,873 , opening = 7 February 2014 , closing = 23 February 2014 , opened_by = President Vladimir Putin , cauldron = , stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
. On October 21, 2015, Angela Price stated on her blog that they were expecting their first child the following spring. In 2016, Angela gave birth to the couple's first child, a girl named Liv. In December 2018, Angela gave birth to their second daughter, named Millie. In June 2020, Angela announced they were expecting their third child in the fall. In October 2020, Angela gave birth to their third child, a boy named Lincoln. In an October 2022 exclusive interview with ''The Athletic'''s Arpon Basu as part of a series which ranked the Top 100 players in modern NHL history (with Price ranking 88th) Price opened up about his experience a year prior which led to his admission to the NHLPA Player Assistance Program. It was revealed that Price experienced struggles with
alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
, which initially began as an escape from the stresses of being a professional athlete but was further exacerbated following the Canadiens loss in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals and the complications surrounding his knee surgery. Particularly citing the severity of substance abuse within the Indigenous community and upon reflections of his own mental wellbeing, Price made the decision to voluntarily enter a residential rehabilitation facility. Price hopes his willingness to talk about his experience serves as an example and inspires others that "it's OK to ask for help." Price is an avid outdoorsman and often camps and hunts in his free time. In December 2022, Price released a statement opposing a proposed Canadian Federal Bill which would amend gun control legislation. Price later apologized to the victims of the
École Polytechnique massacre École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...
for the timing of his comments, which came three days before the 33rd anniversary of the attack.


Career statistics

Bold numbers indicate league leader.


Regular season and playoffs


International


Awards


Multiple honours

*
Molson Cup The Molson Cup is an award presented to a distinguished player on Canadian ice hockey teams. After each game, the " three game stars" are selected, usually by a member of the media. At the end of the season, the player with the most three-star ho ...
for Montreal Canadiens: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019 *
NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019


2007

* IIHF World U20 Championship gold medal ( 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships) * Tournament MVP (2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships) * WHL West first All-Star team for 2006–07 WHL season *
Del Wilson Trophy The Del Wilson Trophy is presented annually to the Western Hockey League's goaltender judged to be the best at his position. The award is named after Del Wilson for his many years of service to both the Regina Pats and the League. Wilson was an own ...
(WHL Top Goaltender) * CHL Goaltender of the Year Award *
Calder Cup The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars. The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its curr ...
with the
Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 OHL season, 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Cent ...
* Jack A. Butterfield Trophy (Calder Cup MVP)


2008

*
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
Rookie of the Month, March 2008 *
NHL All-Rookie Team The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year. The team was first named a ...
for
2007–08 NHL season The 2007–08 NHL season was the 91st season of operation (90th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). It began on September 29, 2007, and the regular season ended April 6, 2008. The Stanley Cup playoffs ended on June 4, with the D ...


2009

*
NHL YoungStars Game The NHL YoungStars Game was an annual match held as part of the National Hockey League All-Star Game weekend activities, which ran from the 2002 All-Star Game to the 2009 game, featuring notable young NHL players and leading prospects. Replacin ...
at
2009 NHL All-Star Game The 2009 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, home of the Montreal Canadiens, in conjunction with the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations on Sunday evening, January 25, 2009. The game was held betwe ...


2014

* Olympic gold medal in Men's Hockey at 2014 Sochi Olympics * Best Goaltender at 2014 Sochi Olympics (voted by IIHF)


2015

*
William M. Jennings Trophy The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it ... based on regular-season play." From 1946 until ...
(fewest goals allowed), (shared with
Corey Crawford Corey Crawford (born December 31, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Crow" by teammates and fans, he played his entire professional career with the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), w ...
of the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
) *
Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two NHL general managers vote to determine the winner. It is named in ...
(best goaltender) *
Ted Lindsay Award The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players' Association. First awarded in 1971 ...
(most valuable player, voted by NHL Players Association) *
Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was donat ...
(most valuable player, voted by Professional Hockey Writer's Association) * NHL first All-Star team (voted by Professional Hockey Writer's Association) *
Lou Marsh Trophy The Northern Star Award, formerly known as the Lou Marsh Trophy, the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy and Lou Marsh Award, is a trophy that is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete, professional or amateur. It is awarded by a panel of journalists, wi ...
(Canada's Top Athlete voted by a panel of journalists) *
Lionel Conacher Award The Lionel Conacher Award is an annual award given to Canada's male athlete of the year. The sports writers of the Canadian Press (CP) first conducted a poll to determine the nation's top athlete, of either gender, in 1932. Separate polls for the ...
(selected by sports writers of the Canadian Press)


2016

* Indspire Award (Sports) * 2016 World Cup of Hockey gold medal


2022

*
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL h ...


See also

* List of NHL goaltenders with 300 wins


References


External links

*
Carey Price biography
a
The Goaltender Home Page
– advanced statistics and game logs
"Price Steals the Show for Canada" by Bill Meltzer
NHL.com December 2, 2007

NHL.com June 2, 2006
Hockey Canada player profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Price, Carey 1987 births Living people 21st-century First Nations people Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winners Canadian ice hockey goaltenders Canadian philanthropists Cariboo people Dakelh people First Nations sportspeople Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) players Hart Memorial Trophy winners Ice hockey people from British Columbia Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics Indspire Awards Lester B. Pearson Award winners Medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics Montreal Canadiens draft picks Montreal Canadiens players National Hockey League All-Stars National Hockey League first-round draft picks Olympic gold medalists for Canada Olympic ice hockey players of Canada Olympic medalists in ice hockey Quesnel Millionaires players Sportspeople from Vancouver Tri-City Americans players Vezina Trophy winners William M. Jennings Trophy winners