Player Discussion Carey Price: Longest Tenured Hab

[Belial]

Okay, why update the standings every day? How does knowing the stats change how the team is doing? Does it make you feel better knowing who has the most goals?

If you attach importance to the numbers, it's natural to attach importance to the people generating those numbers. You can't tell fans to get excited over Price's saves and be indifferent to an injury that prevents him from making saves. We expect to have access to stats, standings, wins & losses, just like we expect info on injuries, because they're all connected.

I don't think it's the same, and I mean, what are you even complaining about? They said Price is out with a lower-body injury...Sounds pretty clear and transparent to me...

 

[M.C.G. 31]

The team is never transparent at all when it comes to Carey Price that I’m just going to assume he’s out for the rest of the season and be pleasantly surprised if he’s back before that. For as much as they’re trying to change and be more transparent, their track record just has to make me assume the worst with Carey.

 

[Belial]

Congrats Carey!

 

[Toene]

Congrats Carey!

Very convenient that he gets injured at this exact time.

Just say it's for "personal reasons". People would understand. Family is more important than hockey. But now this shady shit about him being "injured"... I think it creates more speculation and distraction than if the just went honest and say he's with his childbirthing wife.

 

[Belial]

Very convenient that he gets injured at this exact time.

Just say it's for "personal reasons". People would understand. Family is more important than hockey. But now this shady **** about him being "injured"... I think it creates more speculation and distraction than if the just went honest and say he's with his childbirthing wife.

Shaw missed the practice for personal reasons, just saying...

 

[Lshap]

I don't think it's the same, and I mean, what are you even complaining about? They said Price is out with a lower-body injury...Sounds pretty clear and transparent to me...

The Habs have a bad track record communicating with the public. That's a simple fact, one they themselves have acknowledged with their pledge to be more forthright. It's exactly the same as Molson't pledge to make the 'fan experience' better and Bergevin's pledge to retool/rebuild the mess from last year. All those pledges are connected by the same theme: Improving the Montreal Canadiens product on and off the ice. Transparency with fans and team performance were two key areas management knew were weak. Performance looks better than last year, so good on Bergevin for making progress. Now management's transparency is being tested with another injury to Price. Hopefully they've come a long way from the nonsense we heard three years ago with his lost season. We'll see.

But the onus is on them to step up with better communication; not on us to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Belial]

The Habs have a bad track record communicating with the public. That's a simple fact, one they themselves have acknowledged with their pledge to be more forthright. It's exactly the same as Molson't pledge to make the 'fan experience' better and Bergevin's pledge to retool/rebuild the mess from last year. All those pledges are connected by the same theme: Improving the Montreal Canadiens product on and off the ice. Transparency with fans and team performance were two key areas management knew were weak. Performance looks better than last year, so good on Bergevin for making progress. Now management's transparency is being tested with another injury to Price. Hopefully they've come a long way from the nonsense we heard three years ago with his lost season. We'll see.

But the onus is on them to step up with better communication; not on us to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I get all that but I still don't understand the logic...

The people who panic and generate useless crap are questioning and creating some sort of conspiracy theories every f***ing time something happens!

Honestly, whatever... I guess it's just some kind of drug valorizing existence.

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

Im not going to panic or read thru everything here, the only question i have is when did he feel pain or discomfort.

Ive read its been a few weeks which then makes me wonder why he played back 2 backs and if further back, was it also after going in for Niemi at meaningless time. This organization issues with diagnosing injuries isnt new or solely about Price

 

[Belial]

Im not going to panic or read thru everything here, the only question i have is when did he feel pain or discomfort.

Ive read its been a few weeks which then makes me wonder why he played back 2 backs and if further back, was it also after going in for Niemi at meaningless time. This organization issues with diagnosing injuries isnt new or solely about Price

You're not panicking but you clearly challenge the whole organization in their ability to adequately manage an asset that they paid a boatload of money for 10 more years? You guys are amusing...

 

[Toene]

Lol. Shaw missing time is not in the same magnitude as Carey mf Price being injured again and you know it. And the more it happens, the more it's worrying. Obviously.

If CP31 being injured long-term can be used as an excuse for a bad season followed by a lottery-pick, it means that if it's serious we could miss the playoffs again. For a team that rushes young players to try to win every night and make the post-season it would look bad. Bergevin may end up tanking against his will again.

So everybody understands it may well be a minor injury and nothing to worry about. It's more the knowledge of what happens everytime he misses long periods of time that may get people anxious, and with reason.

 

[40 STANLEYCUPS NOT24]

And, it's time to get rid of this BUM, once, and for all ! !

 

[Born in 1909]

Goalie/player hurt.
Goalie/player rests and heals.
Happens in all sports at all levels.
Deal with it and make due.

Worst case scenario... the Habs tank and get a higher pick.

 

[cphabs]

Very convenient that he gets injured at this exact time.

Just say it's for "personal reasons". People would understand. Family is more important than hockey. But now this shady **** about him being "injured"... I think it creates more speculation and distraction than if the just went honest and say he's with his childbirthing wife.

You know what I think? He got jacked up about about a month ago and played through it till now.

 

[Redux91]

Its interesting, the injury seemed "fishy" out of nowhere to begin with

and now this news... kind of all makes a lil bit of sense ... and thats not to take anything away from Carey, if Carey would of or did simply ask for a lil time off to welcome his 2nd child into the world during the WEEK IN BETWEEN christmas and new years no less... Well i can see the team complying.

If he was some rookie or new kid.. he obviously doesnt get the week off

But its Carey, unfortunately, his fragile mindset along with his tenure and stature will lead to moments like this where the team has to kind of "lie" about an injury ... its unfortunate that im sure people in this day and age would understand Carey taking a couple games off for the new kid.but there would probably be an equal amount of people that would find it unacceptable he get preferential treatment like that

Its a lose lose scenario imo, So i can totally see the team just using the "minor injury" scenario as a sort of veil

Either way, Congratulations Carey, hope you come back soon

 

[nhlfan9191]

Its interesting, the injury seemed "fishy" out of nowhere to begin with

and now this news... kind of all makes a lil bit of sense ... and thats not to take anything away from Carey, if Carey would of or did simply ask for a lil time off to welcome his 2nd child into the world during the WEEK IN BETWEEN christmas and new years no less... Well i can see the team complying.

If he was some rookie or new kid.. he obviously doesnt get the week off

But its Carey, unfortunately, his fragile mindset along with his tenure and stature will lead to moments like this where the team has to kind of "lie" about an injury ... its unfortunate that im sure people in this day and age would understand Carey taking a couple games off for the new kid.but there would probably be an equal amount of people that would find it unacceptable he get preferential treatment like that

Its a lose lose scenario imo, So i can totally see the team just using the "minor injury" scenario as a sort of veil

Either way, Congratulations Carey, hope you come back soon

The organization knows there’s a witch hunt for Price. With Subban and Pacioretty gone, he’s completely vulnerable. If he needs an extra game off for family reasons, the media and fanbase won’t accept that. Faking an injury is honestly more beneficial at this point. The media is going to make a story about it anyways. May as well be a minor lower body injury. They were honest about Shaw because nobody cares if he misses time in the grand scheme. He isn’t important enough.

 

[MXD]

Actually, I see absolutely no upside for anyone to use the injury as a cover-up.

I mean... For f***'s sakes, his wife is giving birth. It's not like he's missing some time because he's ... I dunno, gone fishing on the Emerald Coast.

 

[Redux91]

Actually, I see absolutely no upside for anyone to use the injury as a cover-up.

I mean... For ****'s sakes, his wife is giving birth. It's not like he's missing some time because he's ... I dunno, gone fishing on the Emerald Coast.

Thats what im trying to say

Some people are understanding...some arent..

 

[NobleSix]

lol @ people believing Price is actually hurt.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Its interesting, the injury seemed "fishy" out of nowhere to begin with

and now this news... kind of all makes a lil bit of sense ... and thats not to take anything away from Carey, if Carey would of or did simply ask for a lil time off to welcome his 2nd child into the world during the WEEK IN BETWEEN christmas and new years no less... Well i can see the team complying.

If he was some rookie or new kid.. he obviously doesnt get the week off

But its Carey, unfortunately, his fragile mindset along with his tenure and stature will lead to moments like this where the team has to kind of "lie" about an injury ... its unfortunate that im sure people in this day and age would understand Carey taking a couple games off for the new kid.but there would probably be an equal amount of people that would find it unacceptable he get preferential treatment like that

Its a lose lose scenario imo, So i can totally see the team just using the "minor injury" scenario as a sort of veil

Either way, Congratulations Carey, hope you come back soon

I have a feeling LBI stands for"Little Baby Incident"

 

[1909]

lol @ people believing Price is actually hurt.

LOL at folks like you who think he is not injured.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The team is never transparent at all when it comes to Carey Price that I’m just going to assume he’s out for the rest of the season and be pleasantly surprised if he’s back before that. For as much as they’re trying to change and be more transparent, their track record just has to make me assume the worst with Carey.

Sounds like a good strategy.

 

[NobleSix]

LOL at folks like you who think he is not injured.

Cant wait to laugh in your face when Price is starting the first game after the road trip because he's fine.

If Angela wasnt having a kid, Price would be with the team.

 

[Zam Boni]

It's possible Price didn't say anything and nobody knew. You'd think that after the 2015/16 fiasco, the org is on constant red-alert when Price sneezes. I doubt they'd consciously send him onto the ice if they thought anything was wrong.

Or it could all be part of the master plan to lottery-bomb the draft. Price out, Alzner in, Vladimir Putin colluding with Geoff Molson.

From Juliens quote it's pretty clear that the org knew he had some sort of "irritation" while still being able to play - and play well!
My guess is that they thought a few days off over christmas would be enough, but when he got back it actually got worse.

 

[Zam Boni]

If the Habs grant Price a leave of absence for the birth, could they still call up McNiven or would they have been over the roster limit?

 

[PaulD]

All right, I'll acknowledge that I'm being unfairly hard on Price.

He had a good run. Averaged out over the period 2011-2016 or so, he was one of the better goalies in the NHL during that time. Though he is not currently a good goalie, he has the potential to recover and to be a key part of a contender if Bergevin can put it together, at least for the years 2020-2023.

My frustrations with Price are as follows, all of which are somewhat irrational:

1) Price's never stolen a playoff series. For the most part, the Habs have not won or lost because of Price, but because of the skaters. He's been mostly neutral. One exception: Price lost the series to Philadelphia in 2008. That was on him ... but it was really on Gainey, as Price was a rookie.

2) Price is overpaid, but that's on Bergevin. Bergevin actually implied that the Habs are a lottery team without Price and a strong playoff team with him, if that is true, then Price is one of the greatest players ever. But that's exaggerated. The 2016 collapse, for example, was not just on Price. They replaced Price by an awful goalie rather than an average one, and then they had injuries to Gallagher and Subban. But again, that's not really on Price. Bergevin didn't need to offer him 84 million dollars a full 365 days prior to Price hitting free agency. Honestly, I think 7 years @ 7 million/year would have been closer to fair value. That lost cap space may hurt in 3 or 4 years if the Habs become competitive again.

3) Price's fans have been annoying over the years in how they placed him on a pedestal. For example, during the 2016 collapse, people were seriously arguing that the offense had dried up because the team was missing Price's stick handling. Further, following the incredible 2014 season, people were indulging in all sorts of hyperbole, saying that he might be the best player in the NHL and the best goalie ever. It was annoying. But again, not on Price.

So I admit that I'm being irrational. I'm critiquing Price, when in fact my frustrations are actually mostly with some of the over-the-top pro-Price arguments that people have posted. I'll try and be better. I appreciate that many of you have replied to my posts in a constructive manner.

Really enjoyed this post. Price was Hasek like from 014 Olympics until he was injured early 016 season. He was deservedly a hands down winner of the 015 Hart trophy. I think that is where the over the top adulation comes from. From fans who think he still is or will be THAT goalie of 2015.

The 016 collapse happened long before game 66 where Subban was injured. You simply cannot connect PKs injury to the collapse as it happend with him in the l;ine up playing huge minutes. The team did miss Gallagher but he was back on January 1st.
MBs choice of back up goalies was laughable. Compound that with Therrien and you have what lead the collapse. Leading Carey Priceless team to a winning percentage that was actually worse than the then tanking Maple Leafs. One could say if Price had missed that entire season, the Habs would have Matthews today .
The 08 melt down was just that. Carey stunk against the Flyers. Habs outplayed them every game and lost in 5. Price was a rookie. So what. Murray was a rookie when he played fantastic and won a Cup with the Pens. Roy, Dryden, Cam Ward all put up MVP like rookie play off performances. As have many other masked men. Carey owns that melt down. Not Gainey.

Price peaked in 015. He could still today back a contender to a Cup. But he signed long term with a losing franchise. So he wont get that chance.