Three time zones and 4,600 km separate Montreal from Kelowna. Which doesn’t stop Carey Price from staying up to date with what’s happening with the Canadian. At least, out of the corner of my eye.
• Also read: Carey Price: “Life is good to me”
“I watched a few games in the first few months of the season. However, even though I’m not that superstitious, I had to stop doing it, he revealed. The funny thing is that I missed a few matches due to a family trip and that’s when they started winning. So I don’t want to start looking at them again and bring bad luck to them.”
Price still makes sure to watch the highlights and matches as well as stay up to date with the latest news. The resurrection of the team in mid-December, after having languished in the depths of the circuit, greatly delighted him.
Photo MARTIN CHEVALIER
“I know what it is. I found myself in this kind of scenario, he stressed. As I said before: “Winning solves all problems.”
Indeed. Martin St-Louis went from the guy we lost confidence in to the head coach we want to see win the Jack Adams Trophy.
Obviously, Price is focusing his attention a little more on the goalies. He loves what he sees from Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes.
“It’s good when you can rely on two goalkeepers who are capable of performing well. It gives the team a lot of confidence. Patty’s return [Patrik Laine]it helped a lot for the strike force in attack. I think that, currently, the team is playing well at all levels.”
The doors of the Temple?
We bet that Price would have liked to have such a well-equipped offensive brigade. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield were just taking their first steps in the Bettman circuit, when the Canadian reached the Stanley Cup final in 2021. There was no Laine to paralyze the opponent on the power play .
From 2005 to 2022, the Canadian’s successes have often rested too much on the sole shoulders of Price. Which makes his team record 361 wins even more special.
After Shea Weber last fall, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him end up in the Hall of Fame. And sooner rather than later. Maybe even next fall, in his first year of eligibility.
Knowing our man, that’s not what’s going to make him lose sleep. He would have a better chance of this happening to him if he were to miss the buck dominant in a wooded area near you.
Photo MARTIN CHEVALIER
“There are several of them who have been waiting their turn for a long time,” he said. I was blessed to be able to see Shea receive this honor, to see his life’s work recognized. Plus, I was surrounded by legendary players. It was a really special moment.”
-If there’s one aspect of his personality that hasn’t changed since he played his last match, it’s this: putting the spotlight back on those around him.
It’s the same thing when it comes time to discuss removing your sweater.
“Let’s say that they are quite rare, those who are on the ceiling of the Bell Centre.”
TRUE! But none of them won 361 games in the blue-white-red uniform.
Price gives back with Kraft Hockeyville
New life as a full-time dad keeps Carey Price busy. Much more than he expected. However, she gives him enough free time to allow him to play the philanthropist and associate himself with certain causes.
This is currently the case with Kraft Hockeyville. Once again this year, the program invites Canadian communities to nominate their local arena for the chance to win $250,000 and host a National Hockey League preseason game.
Over the past 19 years, Kraft Hockeyville has granted more than $5.1 million to 101 communities to help them renovate their sports infrastructures. Although he never participated in the event, despite the Canadian’s presence on five occasions, the choice of Carey Price as ambassador was obvious.
“I know what it means to grow up in a rural environment with an arena or a skating rink that needs to be renovated,” said the former Canadiens goalie, in a telephone conversation with The Montreal Journal.
Raised in Anahim Lake, on the edge of civilization in British Columbia, Price, accompanied by his father, had to travel the 320 km that separated him from the nearest arena to play hockey.
“We drove about three and a half hours to practice, it took another three and a half hours to get back home. We practiced on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Price said. “We had to do it again for weekend matches and tournaments.”
“Those times it was just to join the team. Afterwards, we might go play in other cities: Prince George, Kamloops, Kelowna. We’re talking about a six and a half hour drive,” he added.
As a young teenager, he already understood all the sacrifices his parents had to make to allow him to pursue his passion. But he realizes it even more now that his own children are involved in the sport.
“Today, I’m giving back. But since we live in Kelowna, the facilities are much more accessible than in Anahim Lake,” he concluded with a burst of laughter.
At least there’s Kraft Hockeyville.
