MONTREAL, QC.– It’s the NHL All-Star weekend. Younger fans love it, purists hate it, and the rest of us faithfully watch at least part of it because it’s hockey. We also tune-in because it is a gathering of the most talented players on the planet.
For Canadiens fans, they were thrilled to see the addition of P.K. Subban, a last-minute injury replacement to the Rookies who participated in the Superskills Competition. But Habs enthusiasts have just one of their own to cheer for when the puck drops late Sunday afternoon, goaltender Carey Price.
“I wish Carey would skip the All-Star game!” “Price should be resting this weekend!” “Don’t get hurt Carey!”
Living under the hot-house hockey dome of Montreal, these statements may pass for a reasonable reaction to the news that the young goaltender from your favourite team has earned a place at the 58th NHL All-Star game. They are almost understandable given that you can’t turn on a local radio or television sports program or read a Montreal newspaper without hearing the media level their own concerns/criticisms about Price for not heading further south than Carolina for a few days on the beach.
The simple fact is that Price has achieved something that only five other people in the world can match this season — a goaltender at the league’s premiere event to recognize its superstars. It is an acknowledgement that Price has been the Canadiens MVP for the first half of the season and statistically among the top three netminders in the NHL. It is a remarkable feat for anyone, but particularly given the demanding and hostile environment he faced from the media and fans at the start of the season.
And yet some would begrudge Price the opportunity to take his rightful place among the elite of the hockey world. As crazy as it sounds to those outside of Montreal, some fans were actively campaigned to encourage others NOT to vote for him for the All-Star game. The league had already done its best to oblige by not including Price on the ballot.
With 371,854 votes as a write-in, Price was second only to Marc-Andre Fleury for goaltenders, finishing in seventh place overall, ahead of players like Steven Stamkos, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Chris Pronger.
Once selected, some fans even floated the idea that Price should decline the invitation. Who amongst us has turned down an Academy Award, a Nobel Peace Prize or an Employee of the Month award? Even for millionaire athletes, being labelled an All-Star is an honour and a point of pride.
For those who say Price’s achievement is “no big deal” let’s look at who won’t be on the ice in Raleigh. The starting goaltenders from the gold medal game of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Roberto Luongo and Ryan Miller, didn’t make it. Neither did Stanley Cup winning goalie Antti Niemi or Canadiens fan favourite Jaroslav Halak.
Prior to the season, who would have predicted that Price would be making the trip to North Carolina ahead of the aforementioned four? No one. So don’t you think it’s time to give him his due?
Another goaltender who won’t be at this year’s All-Star game is Steve Mason from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Mason has 15 wins so far this season, with a 3.20 goals against average and an .898 save percentage.
Mason was invited to the Team Canada orientation camp for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Price wasn’t. Mason was the Calder Cup winner for best rookie back in the 2008-’09 season and was a nominee for the Vezina trophy.
Mason was also invited to the 2009 All-Star weekend in Montreal to take part in the NHL Young Stars game but could not attend as he had mononucleosis. Another netminder, Erik Ersberg, from the Los Angeles Kings, also had to back out due to injury. Price, already voted as the starting goaltender for the feature game, was asked to fill-in and play the match between rookies and sophomores.
The three-on-three Young Guns game (since discontinued) was all-offense akin to road hockey. Just freshly-returned from an injury, Price took it easy in the light-hearted affair, giving up nine goals. The anti-Price wags of the Montreal media sounded the panic alarm as if the ‘game’ had meaning emphasizing his .640 save percentage.
In the 2009 All-Star game itself, Price had the best goaltending performance allowing only two goals — the fewest of anyone. But somehow, the outing was overshadowed as the media latched onto the Young Stars game and wondered loudly if Price had come back too soon from a sprained ankle.
That story was exacerbated when Montreal head coach Guy Carbonneau publicly questioned his goaltender’s motives for attending the All-Star game.
“I don’t see why anyone would want to rush back – it doesn’t make any sense,” said Carbonneau.
Carbonneau’s insinuation that Price was selfishly putting himself ahead of the team painted a bulls-eye over the number 31 on this jersey and set off a media feeding frenzy. It was also the beginning of the end of a trust relationship between Carbonneau and Price.
“He’s an intelligent person and I hope he will have that in mind,” Carbonneau said. “It’s his decision. If he can’t be on the ice this weekend and can’t be part of a game on Tuesday or Wednesday, I don’t see why he would play in this game – re-injuring his leg and be out another month.”
Despite Carbonneau characterizing the decision as personal, he was well-aware that the Canadiens’ medical staff had cleared Price to play. While Carbonneau couldn’t understand why Price would want to make his first All-Star appearance, he ignored the obvious hypocrisy and proudly accepted the role as Assistant Coach for the Eastern stars.
Blindsided by his own coach and vilified by the media, Price’s confidence took a hit following the All-Star game. It was also one of the final coach-player communication blunders (in a long list) by Carbonneau who was fired as head coach of the Canadiens just six weeks later.
It should be obvious that when a coach is relieved of his duties, the team isn’t performing on many levels. It’s a fact that is often lost on those who are critical of Price’s post-ASG record two years ago. It is also important to remind ourselves of the sequence of events before joining in the chorus of those who are worried that events will repeat themselves again this year or point the finger at Price as being the master of his own demise in 2009.
It’s time to set the past aside. Carey Price has been recognized as one of the top players at his position in the world. Fans should dismiss the negative distractions and join with him to celebrate such a deserved honour.
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Right on, man.
I like the ASG and I’m proud to see Carey there. Of course it’s meaningless, but it’s all fun. It’s like a hockey convention of sorts. Everyone knows it’s not very fun for goalies (they’re basically akin to the target practice goalie you can buy at Canadian Tire) but BEING there is fun and these guys really do want to be there. Sure I didn’t really want him to be there and would be just as happy to see him off on a fishing trip with his dad but he deserves the honour. And he’s no Rick DiPietro; I’m sure you can ask a Ducks fan or a Rangers fan about their worries over Hiller and Lundqvist getting hurt. Also I figured he’d be sent in on his own merit, but you know, the voting is quite telling that the fans have finally shut up about You-Know-Who and appreciate this guy for everything he’s done for this team.
And the decline after the last ASG was more a team thing… No one was scoring, no one was defending, no one was competing, I remember Price glaring at Bouillon in Florida after his 5th turnover save in a row (boy was he pissed…that was the game where he threw his equipment bag and was vocally pissed in a post-game interview), and Carbo’s answer to it all was a shrug and a “I don’t know what to do anymore”. Bob took over to see what was really wrong with his team, and regardless of the major injuries to major players like Robert Lang, decided to blow up his veteran core that very summer. So THAT part is really telling. But people have selective memory, and never talk about the rest of the team, only the goalies. (And considering how the careers most of those players who have gone went…) I always said Carbo’s biggest problem was that he couldn’t look beyond his own nose.
Wow this is one of the best articles I have ever read! Well done! As a huge Carey price fan I completely believe in him, have watched him play since his first game for habs. Have watched him fall hard and then pick himself up, dust himself off and jump back into the game full speed ahead. Carey had earned the honor of attending the All Star Game and no one had the right to tell him not to attend. You are completely right, no one would ever dream of turning down an award trophy for a tv show or movie, so why should he?
I thought it was fun having Cary Price at the All-Star game. He should be proud to have been among the top goalies.
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