Montreal Canadiens: Some food for thought regarding Carey Price

There have been many who doubted Carey Price’s commitment to the Montreal Canadiens and their fans but his latest comments should re-establish any doubt.

Remember when fans attending Montreal Canadiens games would boo Carey Price? Remember that one game where he was subjected to the Bronx Call? However, the starting goaltender didn’t show any frustration until the team’s loss to the Anaheim Ducks where he took his stick to one of the goal posts. Add on a lower-body injury, a concussion, and micro-feuds with some members of the media from simple scrum comments and you have Price’s 2017/18 season in a nutshell.

However, one thing that has come up multiple times this year has been around the 30-year-old’s thoughts and feelings about the team. Some fans have gone on to say that Price doesn’t care anymore now that he’s locked in his massive contract. A season like this can take a toll on you mentally and physically, that’s what made his 557th start for the Montreal Canadiens so special.

The emotion he showed during the ceremony and post-game should be an eye-opening reminder of Price’s feelings towards the team and most importantly the fans.

It’s easy not to want to feel sorry for professional players, especially when they’re making millions of dollars. However, at the end of the day, they’re people, and even a God-like goaltender in Price can feel the strains of a dark year.

"Just the reaction from the crowd was something I’ll never forget (Quote from Sporstnet article)"

His decision to not go to the World Hockey Championships is fueled by the desire to spend time with his family, but it can also be a way to get the necessary rest to have that bounce back year fans and management want from him.

There have been some articles stating that Tuesday was the night the fans and Price reconnected. However, I think the bond was never lost but instead muddled by all the noise of the regular season. Hopefully, that relationship the fans have with the 2005 fifth-overall pick isn’t as obscure in October.

Next: The Next Step For Rinat Valie

Morning Links

556 games later… (Photo gallery)

Some photos of Price over the years as the Habs, starting goaltender.

Early season roster deletions had significant effects on all layers of the organization

The Montreal Canadiens had other removals from their roster this season which in different ways had an impact on where the team is right now.

Canadiens’ torch has been completely doused this season

It was more of an ember early on, but I see what Stu Cowan was going for. Every loss, injury, and poor performance piled on the team more and more to the point where fans can’t wait for the season to finish.