Sidney Crosby didn’t need much time to explain why Carey Price belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
With Price set to be inducted tomorrow in Toronto, the Penguins captain offered a pointed tribute to his former Olympic teammate, praising the kind of steady excellence that made the Canadiens goaltender one of the most respected players in the league. Crosby said Price’s impact stretched well beyond Montreal, and he made clear that the honor fits.
“He was so good for such a long time. When you get an opportunity to play with guys like that, it’s pretty amazing…He’s a guy who’s left his mark here (in MTL) and across the NHL the way he played for so long. It’s definitely well deserved and he was just an incredible goalie.”
The timing gave Crosby’s words extra weight. He had just been in Montreal recently for a game against the Canadiens, and the Bell Centre crowd gave him a warm ovation before the national anthem. Soon after that reception, the same player was speaking with admiration about one of the most beloved goaltenders in Canadiens history.
Price’s numbers back up the praise. He played his entire 15-season NHL career in Montreal, finishing with 361 wins in 712 starts. His .917 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average reflect the level of consistency Crosby was talking about, and they help explain why Price remained such a dependable presence even when the team in front of him wasn’t always at its best.
For Canadiens fans, Price has long been tied to a deep catalog of memorable moments. Crosby’s comments only add another layer to the respect Price earned around the league.
And coming from Crosby, that respect carries real weight. With 1,773 career points, he knows what it takes to stay elite year after year. Even with Pittsburgh sitting 28th at 6-9-2 and Crosby posting 12 points through 17 games, he still took the time to salute an old teammate and the career he built.
In Other News...
Canadiens Took Control Of Toronto Then Had To Survive A Scare
Montreal looked in command for most of the night against Toronto, skating out to a 3-0 lead and getting a big offensive push from Alex Newhook, who scored twice in the win. For a team that has been trying to stack points and keep building momentum, it was the kind of start that suggested a tidy road victory was there to be had.
Instead, the third period turned into a test of nerve. The Maple Leafs scored twice to make things uncomfortable, but the Canadiens answered with a power-play goal to regain control and then survived a double-minor penalty to close out the 4-2 victory, a finish that was far less routine than the early lead had promised. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Risky Goalie Decision
The Canadiens goaltending picture has become a little murkier at just the wrong time. Samuel Montembeault is on injured reserve and nearing the end of his contract, while Jacob Fowlers recent play has given Montreal another name to weigh in the mix. For Kent Hughes, that means the position is no longer just about getting through the moment, but about deciding how much stability he wants to preserve for the stretch ahead.
Chicagos move with Arvid Soderblom adds another layer to the equation because it can shift the market around Montreals options. The Canadiens have already drawn trade interest in Montembeault, and any change in the available goalie pool could affect how aggressively they move, or whether they hold off and let the situation develop a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Evans Just Reignited A Canadiens Rumor Fans Can't Ignore
Jake Evans managed to stir up a familiar kind of Canadiens chatter this week when he said any player would want to play in Montreal, a comment that immediately sent fans back to the same place they always seem to land when a big-name center becomes available. The idea of Dylan Larkin in a Canadiens sweater has been floating around the edges of the rumor mill for a while, and Evans remark only gave it fresh oxygen as Montreal continues its strong start and keeps looking like a team worth thinking about in bigger-picture terms.
The problem, as always, is that the fit is not nearly as simple as the fantasy. Larkin has asked for a trade, Detroits situation keeps inviting speculation, and the possibility of a multi-team deal is the kind of thing that naturally gets discussed when a player of his stature is involved. But Montreal remains the tricky part of the equation, and until that changes, the Canadiens can enjoy the buzz without assuming it means much more than another round of offseason-style intrigue in the middle of the season. [Read more 🡒]