Courage is being scared to death – and saddling up anyway.
When tending the crease for the National Hockey League’s most storied franchise, courage is a necessity.
That’s why the Montreal Canadiens made the right choice in committing to Carey Price.
It didn’t take the Anahim, B.C.-native long to understand the sports betting pressures of playing in a hockey-mad market.
It was intimidating enough before the Canadiens’ 2010 postseason run, in which Price was a spectator as Jaroslav Halak stonewall the Presidents trophy-winning Washington Capitals and defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in consecutive rounds before ultimately falling to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern conference finals. But after watching his former teammate become the story of the playoffs, only to be shipped out of town to establish Price as the team’s franchise goaltender, the focus on Price shifted from potential to limitations.
In the midst of the longest Stanley Cup drought in team history, impatient Canadiens’ fans were quick to voice their displeasure when the 23-year old struggled early on in the 2010 nhl picks preseason. Their jeers and taunts were deflected away by a locker room that rallied behind their netminder, and a coaching staff that re-affirmed their commitment to Price. Unlike in past situations where immaturity may have gotten the best of him, Price remained silent, calm and poised in his role.
The poise has carried through to the 2010-11 regular season, where the Montreal goaltender is 6-3-1 with a 2.38 goals against average and .912 save percentage. Price has started all but one game for the first-place Canadiens, and his six wins are tied for the second-most in the league. After recording his first shutout since November of 2008 in a 19-save NHL scores win over the Northeast division rival Ottawa Senators on October 23rd, Price was greeted at home by a standing ovation from the Bell Centre faithful prior to the team’s next game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
It didn’t take long for fans to change their minds about Price, but the franchise’s true reward may take time to come to fruition. The former Western Hockey Leaguer has succeeded at every level that he has played. After establishing himself as a top prospect for the Americans with a .920 save percentage and eight shutouts in 2004-05, the year he was drafted fifth overall by Montreal. After being awarded the Del Wilson Award as the WHL goaltender of the year, as well as the CHL Goaltender of the Year honors, Price began his professional career with the Hamilton Bulldogs, where he led the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate to the Calder Cup. He became the youngest goalie to win Calder Cup playoffs MVP at only 19-years old, as well as leading the Canadian junior national team to a gold medal in 2005.
Price has succeeded at every level he has played, and there is no reason to think based on his performance this season that will change in the NHL. Regardless of how well Halak plays with the St. Louis Blues this betting season, and in the future, the Canadiens have made their decision, and it is already paying off. That is why Montreal made the right choice in committing to Price.
Thank you very, very much!