The Montreal Canadiens announced their Molson Cup winner for the 2019-20 season, and for the ninth time in his career, Carey Price got the honour.
Although some fans may not feel the same as they did in previous years, Carey Price is the face of the Montreal Canadiens. Sure Shea Weber is captain, and there are budding stars who will eventually breakout such as Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, but everything beings and ends with Price. When he’s on his game, the Habs have a chance to win, and him winning the Molson Cup is indicative of that.
This isn’t to be confused with the monthly MVP award the Habs present. The yearly Molson Cup is a team award won based on the number of star ratings a player gets during the season. A first-star rating earns you three points, while a second and third-star are worth two and one.
In total, Price had 33 points appearing in the post-game star selections 14 times. Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher were second and third with 21 points apiece. Of the14 star selections for Price, eight were as the first star. Most of the stars likely came from his four shutout wins, including a dominating 31-save performance against the Calgary Flames.
Although it’s a solid piece of recognition for the 32-year-old, the flair may not be as strong seeing as this is his ninth victory. Price won his first Molson Cup at the end of the 2008-09 season early into his NHL career. He then went on a streak winning five in a row between 2010 and 2015 before winning his eighth in 2017.
Your goaltender needs to be your best player on most occasions, and Price is proof of that considering how much the team needed to rely on him. Unfortunately, that hasn’t changed too much as this year showed how the roster performs if Price isn’t at his game-saving level every night. Perhaps that changes, and he gets back at it in the Stanley Cup Qualifier.
#Habs Price on perception of him being a difference-maker: "It's motivating, without a doubt. It's a great opportunity -- if we play -- for me to come into a playoff scenario well-rested... It's always plausible that great goaltending wins you championships."
— John Lu (@JohnLuTSNWpg) June 25, 2020
Whether it’s a league or team trophy, Price wasn’t gifted this. He earned it.
But at his age, he likely doesn’t care too much about this kind of cup. Price has made it clear that he wants a Stanley Cup, and he’s not getting older. The Montreal Canadiens aren’t in a contending window, but they have an opportunity this season even if the odds are stacked against them. There’s also the pressure that comes with next year and whether Marc Bergevin can get the Habs to qualify.
So Price will take the Molson Cup once again. But there’s one cup that he’s desperately eying.