Montreal Canadiens: Who Was Carey Price’s Best Backup?
By Emmanuel D
No one is arguing Niemi’s past championships and the respect he has earned from Carey Price and his other fellow teammates, but the Habs must do whatever it takes to win while at the same time not having to rely on Carey Price on most nights to prevent any fatigue or injury.
The Montreal Canadiens giving up on Mike Condon so early may have been a reactionary decision due to the team wanting to get off to a good a start after a bad year. Although he never got a chance to play for the Penguins, when Condon was traded to the Senators, he had 19 wins and posted a .914 save percentage and a 2.50 GAA.
However, in the years following that season, he failed to put up similar numbers although the inability to do so may be credited to the Senators’ meltdown in the 2017-18 season always as well as this season.
As shown in his first season with the Senators, Condon could be a very effective backup goaltender on a good NHL team and at 28-years old, teams could rely on him for several years. That’s something the Canadiens could have used this season after dropping certain games that they should have had in the bag, although that all cannot be blamed on Niemi. The Canadiens inability to score on the powerplay and defensive issues throughout this season also played a role.
Looking ahead, the Montreal Canadiens may not have to look too far for Carey Price’s next backup. At 25-years old, Charlie Lindgren, barring any injuries, can be the perfect as Price’s backup in the long-term. With 18 games of NHL experience under his belt and the Laval Rocket now having two young prospects in Michael McNiven and Cayden Primeau.
Next. Reflections and decisions from the exit interviews. dark
Next season seems like the perfect opportunity for Lindgren to step up and earn a full-time position as a backup to Carey Price, something that may be every young goaltender’s dream.