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Canadiens find a Price they like
by The Upper Canadien on 09/02/10 at 05:26 PM ET
Comments (5)
I came in from swimming to a radio report I’d been waiting, nay hoping for, and was surprised to find it validated many a media members comments from the past few weeks. The reason I was most excited? I can finally stop using puns involving the word price. Yes, Carey Price is again the starting goaltender of the Montreal Canadiens, and all it took was a contract of two years at a total cost of $5.5 million.
This suggests a number of things. Firstly, many pundits in the past two months were correct: the deal would end up being two years. Why? Well, Price likely wanted one year, to prove he was better and could start a full slate of games, and the Canadiens likely wanted a longer deal, seizing the opportunity to lock Price up when his, er, price was rather low due to last year’s lackluster performance.
Secondly, the same media were right on in terms of the cost of the contract. A report two days ago stated that Price wanted $3 million per season. Well, by year two of the contract, that’s what he’s making, and that likely guarantees he makes more than $3 million on his next contract. It’s not difficult to understand why the Canadiens capitulated on price – they had no other option under contract who could be a competitive starter this year, and a second year at $3 million in today’s market is fairly reasonable. Recognizing the Canadiens goals in the negotiation, they keep the average cap hit of the deal below $3 million, ensuring that their total goaltending costs for the next year are lower than $4 million. Not bad when you have a blue chip young netminder, backed up by a fairly astute veteran of the bench.
Where does this leave the Habs?
Well, it leaves them in a reasonably good position. They’ve locked up their starter, and they have just over $1.5 million in cap room available, as the Price contract takes them up to $58.45 million. Not much wiggle room, but perhaps just enough to make another move if they want to.
Where does this leave Price?
Carey Price is an enigma in many ways, least of which for the fact that it feels like he’s been playing in Montreal for eons. With the stories, pictures and rumours that have made the rounds, you’d think Price had been tending goal for the Canadiens for the past decade. The reality is, he’s really still a new kid on the block.
The plus for Price with this deal is he gets to prove his worth and, hopefully, get a substantial raise in two years. The other plus? He’s being paid more than the goalie who won the Stanley Cup last year – and that’s pretty good negotiating on his agent’s part. Without question, Price has the talent to be a top-flight starter, but after gestures at the fans, an errant stick to Nicklas Backstrom’s leg, and apparent infighting with teammates last season, the remaining questions surround his mental toughness. Can he make it in Montreal? If he can put up with the pressure there, he can do it just about anywhere.
I thought Price had suffered through his baptism of fire two years ago against the Bruins and the Flyers in the playoffs. Make no mistake: that wasn’t it. His baptism by fire is following up arguably the greatest performance in Habs playoff history by a goaltender, after taking all summer to sign a contract. This season will make or break the career of Carey Price. Hopefully, he’ll put an end to the questions that have dogged him since he supplanted Cristobal Huet 28 long months ago.
If I’m Pierre Gauthier…
• I reach out to one of Owen Nolan or Bill Guerin to add that veteran presence up front the Canadiens need. Both are still capable of 20 goals and would greatly help the power play. While I would be surprised to see either as a Hab, I would also be very, very pleased.
• I phone up Brendan Witt and offer him a camp tryout. Yes, the Canadiens are loaded on defence, but Witt is mean. Heck, the guy was hit by a car and still went to practice. He’d be a valuable addition to a Canadiens backend that needs to intimidate to succeed. He’d also give the Canadiens another player willing to drop the gloves and defend his teammates – while many current Canadiens will, I’d rather they stay out of the box while a guy like Witt goes in.
• I’d consider extending a training camp invite to Darcy Tucker if I couldn’t get Guerin or Nolan cheap. Sure, he’s old. And sure, he was in Montreal once and arguably wore out his welcome. But he’s tough as nails and he stands in front of the net and screens the goalie – the other aspect of the Canadiens that was missing come round three of the playoffs last year. Perhaps Tucker’s not the guy, but the Canadiens need someone willing to go to the net and take punishment to score some goals.
• I invite a few more young guns to camp, specifically goalies. The Canadiens have Sanford and Mayer in the AHL this year, but they are still fairly thin on a position that they have, in the past, excelled at filling. I believe in Price, and I think he’s around for the long haul – but just in case, a backup plan would be good.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Montreal Canadiens | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Carey+Price,
Comments
There are a lot of two year contracts right now because the current CBA expires then.
Posted by Osrt on 09/03/10 at 02:49 AM ET
Hmmm, 2.75m over two years.
Would you rather pay 1m more annually for Halak and get two more years?
Would you rather pay 2m for Niemi for one?
Would you rather pay 2m for Nitty for two?
Would you rather pay 1.5m for Dan Ellis for two?
Would you rather pay 1.85 for Chris Mason for ?
The answer to all of these questions in my mind is yes. Terrible contract for the Habs given the market for goalies this summer. Terrible.
Posted by Leo_Racicot on 09/03/10 at 07:31 AM ET
The only player on that list I’d really consider is Niiemi. The others are stop gaps. Nitty and Mason are old and past their glory days - this isn’t a 3rd line right winger, this is a starting goalie. I don’t see any reason to try a short-term solution, generally the best goalies grow into their positions. Price has way, way more upside. Perhaps I would have considered Ellis as well, but he’s also on the wrong side of 30, despite a perception amongst fans that he’s younger.
As such, I think the Price deal is a reasonable one. The Habs are partially paying a potential franchise goalie, not a short-term fix. Traditionally that costs more, but the return is much higher as well.
Posted by The Upper Canadien from Toronto on 09/03/10 at 07:46 AM ET
Posted by The Upper Canadien from Toronto on 09/03/10 at 08:46 AM ET
You make some very valid points regarding the age variable.
I should’ve prefaced my opinion on the sentiment that this Habs team is built to win now. If you’re a Gionta or a Gomez, I’m not sure if this deal is telling you that ownership is going after an opportunity.
Further, how many goalies in the last 30 years have become proven studs and subsequently franchise cornerstones before the age of 25? I’m not sure I can count beyond the 10 fingerson my two hands.
I have no doubt that Price is a talented kid, I’m just not sure that he’s ready to be IT right now (or next year for that matter). I think the team was better off keeping Halak, and they were certainly better off signing Ellis, Niemi or Nitty to a two year deal at their going rates given the roster that they have. In the case of all three, they are saving some cap space and are starting three goalies with much better track records on a team that made it to the conference finals just last season.
Posted by Leo_Racicot on 09/03/10 at 08:00 AM ET
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Well. you had me there until you suggested what Gauthier should do, my friend.
1) Guerin and Nolan are old and past their sell-by dates, though Guerin is closer to his. But, quite frankly, what do the Habs need a “veteran” presence up front? They have Gionta, Cammelleri and Gomez who are quite willing to lead by actions and words, and Plekanec who is also a quiet leader.
2) Brendan Witt. Two years ago, I’d agree with you, but he got bought out by the New York Freaking Islanders, aka: the laughing stock of the league. That says something.
3) Tucker. He’s worn out his welcome in Montréal, Toronto, Tampa Bay and, apparently, Colorado. This team has spent too long with divisions in its locker room, adding a toxic, broken down old man isn’t going to do anything for that.
But, hey, I do like your discussion of Price. Let’s hope he is The Franchise after all.
Posted by Ransacker on 09/02/10 at 06:50 PM ET