Carey Price

Carey Price was drafted by the Canadiens fifth overall in the 2005 "Crosby" Draft. Price tore up the WHL major junior league with the Tri-City Americans especially in his draft year when he posted 8 shutouts, a 2.34 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. Carey Price would end up spending his entire Junior Career with the Americans from 2002-2003 to 2006-2007.

In 2007, Price signed a 3 year $850 000 per year contract with the Canadiens and played his first season in the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs. At the start of the 2008 campaign Carey Price found a spot on the Canadiens roster. Just before the trade deadline the Canadiens' General Manager, Bob Gainey, traded Cristobal Huet to Washington for a second round draft pick. By doing this Gainey gave the starting job to Price. Carey Price ended up finishing up Montreal's outstanding regular season where they finished first in the conference. Price would then falter somewhat in the playoffs with a droopy glove hand.

The 2008-2009 season Price flew under the radar with all the other commotion surrounding the Canadiens centennial anniversary. During the 2009-2010 season Carey Price battled for a job with Jaroslav Halak. Carey would eventually lose his job to Halak and watched from the sidelines as Jaro guided the Habs through two unexpected series victories. When Jaro Halak was traded to the Blues for wingers Lars Eller and Ian Schultz, Carey Price was once again designated the Canadiens' number one goaltending job.

Carey Price is a big guy standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 220 pounds. He doesn't leave much room for pucks to go by. He is a butterfly goalie who either challenges the play or stays reserved in his net depending on his confidence. Due to Carey Price's lack of consistency over the past couple seasons it is hard to pin point some of his play's key features.

Some of Carey Price's strengths include his squareness to the shooter, his calm persona; he is not easily flustered and his athleticism. On the other hand Carey Price's weaknesses include his tendency to lower his compete level and slack off his intensity, his droopy glove hand and his bad tendencies that allow easy goals.

Carey Price has two second cousins in the NHL: Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes and Keaton Ellerby of the Florida Panthers.

Overall, Carey Price has been through much more than the average goaltender sees in their young career. He is only 23 years old and has faced the most diversity you can throw at a guy. Whether Carey Price will succeed in his hockey career or sputter out is still unknown.

Carey Price is capable of being one of the elite goaltenders in the NHL when he wants to. To start the 2010-2011 season Price has been nothing short of incredible and seems to have really turned a page in his career. Carey Price now exhibits a new degree of maturity and professionalism.