The Montreal Canadiens have several goaltenders who are in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Canadiens’ greats like Jacques Plante, Lorne “Gump” Worsley, Georges Vezina, Ken Dryden, George Hainsworth, Bill Durnan, Patrick Roy, and a few others who played with the team at one point in their careers have all been inducted into the HHOF. Goaltenders have a lot to live up to if they play for the Canadiens.
Goaltender Carey Price, who is not retired, but is unable to train at a professional level, did everything and more for the Canadiens when he was in his prime and when he was healthy. Price, 35, won a ton of games, got his team into the Stanley Cup playoffs, and won a lot of hardware.
One question that will come up when it comes to Price is whether he belongs in the Hall of Fame when he officially retires. Goaltenders are a tricky bunch when it comes to deciding who gets in and who does not, but Price certainly has a lot to offer the selection committee.
Price has 361 career wins, which puts him 22nd on the all-time wins list. He also has the most wins in Canadiens franchise history, which says a lot in regard to what Price has done for the Habs.
Price also has a lot of hardware to his name. Here are what awards, trophies, and medals he has racked up in his illustrious career in both the NHL and international competitions:
International
– Gold Medal with Team Canada at the 2007 World Junior Championships
– Named most valuable player of the 2007 World Junior Championships
– Gold Medal with Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi
– Gold Medal with Team Canada at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey
NHL
– Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player (2015)
– Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender (2015)
– William M. Jennings Trophy for the least amount of goals allowed (2015)
– Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most valuable player as selected by the NHLPA (2015)
– First Team NHL All-Star (2015)
– Five-time NHL All-Star (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2017)
Price has put up some great numbers in his career. In the regular season, he has compiled a record of 361-261-79 with a 2.51 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage, and 49 career shutouts.
He has also played well in the playoffs. Price is 43-45 with a 2.39 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage, and eight shutouts.
Lastly, Price succeeded in one of the toughest markets and countries to play in. If you are a goaltender for the Canadiens or Team Canada, millions of eyes are on you every year, and if you do not have success, you certainly hear about it.
As mentioned above, Price has done everything and more for both the Canadiens and Team Canada. He’s handled the pressure flawlessly and, as a result, has a lot to show for his herculean efforts.
It is going to be interesting to see if he ends up getting in when all is said and done, especially since he has never won a Cup.
