Speculation: Carey Price will win a Conn Smythe before he wins a Vezina, if ever

[bobholly39]

Curious about everyone's thoughts of this.

I say: Carey Price will *never* win a Vezina trophy - or at least, certainly not this season or anytime soon. In fact, I can totally see him winning one (or more lol) Conn Smythe trophies before he ever wins a Vezina.

Do you guys agree with this statement?

Somehow I don't see Price as the type to win a Vezina. He's always solid, and consistent during the season, but there's always one goalie who comes out of nowhere with an insane season (Anderson in Ottawa, Thomas in Boston, Tampa Goalie last year, etc) and overperforms big-time.

I think if you'll take a 5 year stretch of NHL seasons, and award one Vezina trophy for the combined 5 years only, I think Price would have a VERY good chance at winning. Yet I have serious doubts he'll ever win the Vezina over one full season.

This past year for example, even though he had such a good year, I felt he was never in serious contention. Solid Top 3-4, but not #1.

In fact, I see it much more likely that Price can lead the Habs to a cup,while winning the Conn Smythe, before he wins a vezina.

Thoughts?

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[DAChampion]

Goaltending is very hard to judge and measure and as such the Vezina, like the Norris, is largely based off reputation.

Price will eventually win.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Wasn't Brodeur in his early 30s before he ever won one?

I think after last year Carey showed the poise to take it to the next level and Montreal should have a better team for next 5 years which will help get his stats up, hopefully he can stay healthy and should be doable

For the record I think he'll win both

 

[macavoy]

I completely agree with you OP. He is a lot like Brodeur, in the sense that he is consistent.

We don't need him to be the best in the regular season, we need him to be in the top 5 and then for him to be lights out come the playoffs.

 

[Agnostic]

Curious about everyone's thoughts of this.

I say: Carey Price will *never* win a Vezina trophy - or at least, certainly not this season or anytime soon. In fact, I can totally see him winning one (or more lol) Conn Smythe trophies before he ever wins a Vezina.

Do you guys agree with this statement?

Somehow I don't see Price as the type to win a Vezina. He's always solid, and consistent during the season, but there's always one goalie who comes out of nowhere with an insane season (Anderson in Ottawa, Thomas in Boston, Tampa Goalie last year, etc) and overperforms big-time.

I think if you'll take a 5 year stretch of NHL seasons, and award one Vezina trophy for the combined 5 years only, I think Price would have a VERY good chance at winning. Yet I have serious doubts he'll ever win the Vezina over one full season.

This past year for example, even though he had such a good year, I felt he was never in serious contention. Solid Top 3-4, but not #1.

In fact, I see it much more likely that Price can lead the Habs to a cup,while winning the Conn Smythe, before he wins a vezina.

Thoughts?

It's much easier to win a Vezina, so no I don't agree.

 

[waffledave]

The Vezina is an award that will go to whichever goalie has an unreal season, but if there is no crazy outstanding performance, it tends to go to any goalie who has had a number of solid seasons but hasn't won it before or in a while. The last few that Brodeur won I don't really feel he deserved.

 

[beowulf]

I would prefer him to win the Conn Smythe anyways as it would likely mean a Stanley Cup in Montreal.

 

[Video Coach]

Unfortunately these awards are voted by writers and not actual hockey people which is why they usually go by the numbers. The only way he wins is by having a ridiculous season numbers wise. I think it's still possible he does do that and wins 1-2 but like most have said, I'll take a Conn Smythe or 2 over a Vezina any day.

I really don't know why they do it that way instead of just letting coaches and GMs vote. Most writers don't watch all the games, just those in the markets they cover and they don't have the hockey know-how to appreciate the unquantifiable aspects of the game (like making big saves at big times, being a calming influence on the team, etc).

 

[FlyingKostitsyn]

The opposite is much more likely I think. He has a solid reputation and is pretty young still. Also he can have incredible seasons statistically, who knows?

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Unfortunately these awards are voted by writers and not actual hockey people which is why they usually go by the numbers. The only way he wins is by having a ridiculous season numbers wise. I think it's still possible he does do that and wins 1-2 but like most have said, I'll take a Conn Smythe or 2 over a Vezina any day.

I really don't know why they do it that way instead of just letting coaches and GMs vote. Most writers don't watch all the games, just those in the markets they cover and they don't have the hockey know-how to appreciate the unquantifiable aspects of the game (like making big saves at big times, being a calming influence on the team, etc).

The vezina is actually voted by GMs.

The more you know..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vezina_Trophy

 

[Cole Caulifield]

The opposite is much more likely I think. He has a solid reputation and is pretty young still. Also he can have incredible seasons statistically, who knows?

Price has already come close twice to winning a vezina. I think his best finishes are #5 and #4. If we had had a better team, he would have had a better chance to win.

It basically comes down to whether you believe the habs will ever become a contender under MB and if you believe that Price can play consistently like he did in his #4 and #5 seasons. If a good habs season can coincide with a good Price season, this could definitely result in a Vezina.

As for the Conn Smythe, I say Subban wins it if we win the cup.

 

[AntonCH]

The only thing that matters is a loving cup that was once donated by some dude named Stanley

All else is secondary and extra gravy

 

[Agnostic]

Price has already come close twice to winning a vezina. I think his best finishes are #5 and #4. If we had had a better team, he would have had a better chance to win.

It basically comes down to whether you believe the habs will ever become a contender under MB and if you believe that Price can play consistently like he did in his #4 and #5 seasons. If a good habs season can coincide with a good Price season, this could definitely result in a Vezina.

As for the Conn Smythe, I say Subban wins it if we win the cup.

Price has exactly 3 first place votes for the Vezina in his entire career. He's never been close to winning it.

Last year was a breakthrough year for him, his reputation will get a bump. Still, the Vezina at this time seems more attainable than Conn Smythe, as that trophy requires a team Stanley Cup run and competition from other positions (as you say players like Subban).

 

[Video Coach]

The vezina is actually voted by GMs.

The more you know..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vezina_Trophy

Whoops...good to know, thanks!

 

[vokiel]

How about he wins a Stanley Cup before all of these things?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

He'll be a Cup, the Conn Smythe and the Vezina eventually.

 

[Hackett]

Wasn't Brodeur in his early 30s before he ever won one?

I think after last year Carey showed the poise to take it to the next level and Montreal should have a better team for next 5 years which will help get his stats up, hopefully he can stay healthy and should be doable

For the record I think he'll win both

Wow, that's incredibly hard to believe considering how stingy the devils were in the 90's.

I know he was up against some stiff competition with big names (hasek, Roy etc...) but you'd figure that brodeur would have at least one in his 20's based on the goalie and the team's reputation alone.

 

[Blind Gardien]

He's already good enough to win a Vezina. Whereas the Habs aren't good enough to win a Cup, and who knows if they'll ever be. So it seems far more likely that he'd win a Vezina than a Smythe.

 

[Saintpatrick*]

Wow, that's incredibly hard to believe considering how stingy the devils were in the 90's.

I know he was up against some stiff competition with big names (hasek, Roy etc...) but you'd figure that brodeur would have at least one in his 20's based on the goalie and the team's reputation alone.

Never liked Brodeur, probably because he would shut us out all the time. I always thought his numbers inflated by the system the Devils played.

As for Price I see him winning a Vezina within the next few seasons. He just seems to be getting better and more consistent each season.

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

I think Price is closer to the best goalie in the league than the Habs the best team in the league. So considering most of the time (or all the time?), the Conn Smythe is given to a player of the champion team, I think Price will win the Vezina before the Conn Smythe.

 

[S Bah]

Curious about everyone's thoughts of this.

I say: Carey Price will *never* win a Vezina trophy - or at least, certainly not this season or anytime soon. In fact, I can totally see him winning one (or more lol) Conn Smythe trophies before he ever wins a Vezina.

Do you guys agree with this statement?

Somehow I don't see Price as the type to win a Vezina. He's always solid, and consistent during the season, but there's always one goalie who comes out of nowhere with an insane season (Anderson in Ottawa, Thomas in Boston, Tampa Goalie last year, etc) and overperforms big-time.

I think if you'll take a 5 year stretch of NHL seasons, and award one Vezina trophy for the combined 5 years only, I think Price would have a VERY good chance at winning. Yet I have serious doubts he'll ever win the Vezina over one full season.

This past year for example, even though he had such a good year, I felt he was never in serious contention. Solid Top 3-4, but not #1.

In fact, I see it much more likely that Price can lead the Habs to a cup,while winning the Conn Smythe, before he wins a vezina.

Thoughts?

After they change the Conn Smythe Trophy to the Jean Beliveau Trophy perhaps, otherwise Carey will own the Georges Vezina Trophy for the next few yrs.

 

[Scintillating10]

Curious about everyone's thoughts of this.

I say: Carey Price will *never* win a Vezina trophy - or at least, certainly not this season or anytime soon. In fact, I can totally see him winning one (or more lol) Conn Smythe trophies before he ever wins a Vezina.

Do you guys agree with this statement?

Somehow I don't see Price as the type to win a Vezina. He's always solid, and consistent during the season, but there's always one goalie who comes out of nowhere with an insane season (Anderson in Ottawa, Thomas in Boston, Tampa Goalie last year, etc) and overperforms big-time.

I think if you'll take a 5 year stretch of NHL seasons, and award one Vezina trophy for the combined 5 years only, I think Price would have a VERY good chance at winning. Yet I have serious doubts he'll ever win the Vezina over one full season.

This past year for example, even though he had such a good year, I felt he was never in serious contention. Solid Top 3-4, but not #1.

In fact, I see it much more likely that Price can lead the Habs to a cup,while winning the Conn Smythe, before he wins a vezina.

Thoughts?

I doubt it. Habs would pretty well need to win cup for him to get Conn Smythe. Hard to do. While the Vezina Price certainly is capable. Can't see how you say he'll never win a Vezina? He's in top 4-5 goalies in league.

 

[macavoy]

I think Price is closer to the best goalie in the league than the Habs the best team in the league. So considering most of the time (or all the time?), the Conn Smythe is given to a player of the champion team, I think Price will win the Vezina before the Conn Smythe.

This is true in theory but in reality, the Vezina winner the past 4+ seasons had an above great year. They all had > .930 sv% seasons. That isn't realistic, the 3 greatest goalies of all time had sv% of

Martin Brodeur .912
Patrick Roy .912
Dominek Hasek .922

Price had one of his best seasons last year and he was .927. For him to win, he has to be even better than last year and nobody can step up and have an insane season.

I think Price will have another + .923 season next year but I think he also learns that he needs to save some gas for the playoffs and I don't see him going balls to the wall to try win a Vezina. Our team is likely to take a slight step back and let the younger players grow. Having a couple of rookies on d instead of Gorges will affect Price's sv%.

He certainly is capable of winning a vezina, I just think there is always going to be someone who has a crazy awesome year that will eclipse him.

 

[macavoy]

I also dream that we will win the cup, and the only realistic way that will happen is if Price is the Conne Smythe winner.

 

[Video Coach]

I think this year proves that he's pretty darn close to winning a Vezina, even though we're not amongst the best teams in the league, had he not been run over by Kreider we would have had a good shot at the finals and then who knows? It wouldn't be the first time a team that was clearly not the best team won the cup because of incredible goaltending and a team that played over its potential.