Montreal Canadiens: Breaking Down Carey Price vs Jaroslav Halak – The Verdict Is Finally In
By Suki Gill
The Raw Numbers
Price was a true workhorse for the Canadiens. He appeared in 50 or more games in a season eight times and his team made 10 playoff appearances in his 14 seasons between the pipes.
The Anahim Lake, B.C. native spent his entire NHL career with the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2005, leading them to the Eastern Conference Final in 2014 and the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. Among his many individual accolades he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player and Vezina Trophy as the league’s most outstanding goaltender in 2015.
In contrast, Halak had only three seasons of 50+ starts, usually profiling more as one half of a tandem. Following his magical run to the Conference Final with the Habs in 2010, his teams made the postseason only three times for the duration of his career. Most of Halak’s excellent playoff numbers were built off that incredible spring with the CH. The fact is he won only one playoff series after departing Montreal.
Halak, a ninth round pick in 2003, became a bit of a journeyman. A quality journeyman at that but he would end up tending goal for seven different teams (so far) before it was all said and done. He was a quality starter for a number of years but always a tier below the Price-led superstar club.
In addition to his time with the Canadiens, Halak suited up for the Blues, Capitals, Islanders, Bruins, Canucks and Rangers. It was with Boston that Halak won his only other playoff series, winning two of three games after he took over for starter Tuukka Rask when the latter departed the covid bubble prior to Game 3 of a tied best of five first round series.
The only time Price and Halak actually squared against each other in a meaningful way was in the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Halak, a native of Slovakia, had backstopped the underdog Team Europe to the final where they eventually ran into and fell to the superior Team Canada, led by Price.
Price enjoyed tremendous success on the international stage throughout his career. In addition to the World Cup win, he captured gold with Canada at both the World Juniors and the Olympics. His reputation as a big game goaltender cemented his legacy as the best of his generation.
So while their overlying numbers are similar, Price clearly had the more decorated career. But that was never the question was it. The question was, is and always will be would the Canadiens have been better off as a team with Halak instead of Price?