- Will Carey Price Be Sporting A New Leaf? {photo courtesy of DayLife.com}
Christopher Ralph – Leafs Correspondent
The timing could not be better for the Leafs to go after an elite young franchise goalie. How quickly the mighty have fallen. After last season’s tremendous rookie year and being named THN’s Top Prospect in last year’s prospect edition, Price has had an inconsistent year this season, to put it mildly.
“I didn’t say anything to him,” said Gainey. “He reacted, but people were rude. People were unfair, so he stood up for himself. What’s wrong with that?”
“I’ve said before, this kid is going to win a Stanley Cup one day,” captain Saku Koivu said of Price. “Sometimes you have to put your emotions away and not show them, but that’s part of the learning process. “We’ve got to realize he’s very young. He’ll go through ups and downs in his career and he’ll learn from them.”
Enforcer Georges Laraque said the fans were wrong in their treatment of Price. “We have the best fans in the league, but the way they reacted. . .” said Laraque. “Carey’s only 21. If you’re going to point fingers, point them at our injuries. It’s hard enough to be swept at home and when you hear those boos – that’s not the fans who supported us all year and helped us make the playoffs.”
Even with the kind words, one has to wonder if Price’s days in Montreal are numbered.
Enter…Brian Burke!
Montreal fans seem to be demanding the deletion of Price from the Habs’ roster. The basic ingredients for a trade might start with exchanging 2 recent Gold Medal winners as starting goalies for Team Canada at the WJC. Price and Justin Pogge. Although Pogge has been decent in the AHL playoffs this season, his development has been slow and questioned, but like Price has the tools and just has to find the toolbox. With his recent play, his stock might just be high enough to help land someone like Price.
If Burke could entice Gainey, who’s hands may be forced in this instance, into a Vesa Toskala and Justin Pogge for Price and a 2nd round draft pick type deal, I for one would be estatic. With Burke reportedly at the forefront in the race to sign Swedish standout goalie Jonas Guustavsson, Price could backup or split time with the 24 year old netminder who just completed a phenomenal season in the SEL, capping it off with winning the championship, until he is ready for a more prominent role. While expectations are also very high in Leaf Nation, fans realize the franchise is undergoing a massive overhaul and the pressure will be at a different level from that seen in Montreal. This would essentially take care of the key position for the Leafs for the next 15 years.
Think Carey is damaged goods and already washed up? Think again! The 21 year old is a phenomenal talent and there’s a great chance he will have a very productive of enduring NHL career. At times, his brilliance has shon through this season. One such example is his outstanding save earlier this season, a candidate for “Save Of The Year”!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikeCcQg6sf4
Rumour has it, Carey Price’s realtor already has “open house” set up trying to sell Price’s home in Montreal.
Get to work, Burke — and make it happen!
This article is a joke right? First of all Price >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Toskala and a 2nd round pick >> Pogge. Not to mention your slating Gustavson to be a starter over price when he is yet to play a game in the nhl. He is going to be another over hyped brunstrom. This is one of the worst trade proposals i have ever seen in my life.
hahahahahha is all i can say to this. How about Toronto trades Schenn and Kaberle to the Habs for Georges Laraque
You guys must have some real good crack in TO, and this reporter found some of it. Toskala and Pogge for Price…in your dreams! Throw in Schenn and this years 1st pick, and Gainey might not slam the phone in your ear.
Frank:
– Interesting points…Price may not have a say in the matter of what his role will be. He has to get back to that elite level, which of course I think he can – but what’s the best course of action to get him back on track?
– As for Leafs-Habs NEVER making a trade. Never say never. Albeit rare to for these 2 franchises to be trade dance partners, they made a trade just this past season involving Mikhail Grabovski. As well, Habs fans must still be grinning after the grand larceny of the getting Russ Courtnall for the late John Kordic!
What are you smokign? Must be something good, there is now way that Montreal is going to trade Price for Pogge (Underachiever) and Toskla. Dream on it is not going to happen, there is as much chance of this as there is Grabovski going back to Montreal.
Dream on Loaf fans … this will NEVER happen!
I might’ve worse than that, Paul, given the same situation. Carey did report later he had regrets. Right or wrong actions by the fans, I guess players have to maintain a certain level of professionalism. They are the very reason he gets paid at the end of the day.
In the heat of battle, however, testosterone can quite easily take over! Tough situation for Price.
No way is Price going to take a backup, or part-time job at a team with even less of a shot at the cup.
No way are the Habs gonna trade with interdivisional rivals, especially with their franchise goalie and especially with the Leafs.
What… you don’t think Toskala is the answer? Or that Kolzig is going to have a miraculous return? It is kind of scary that the Leafs don’t have a goalie younger then 31 on the roster…
I’ll tell you what, if that was me in net I would have removed both gloves and displayed the longest fingers on both hands to that crowd. Unnecessary, rude and downright classless.