Fansided

One player from each NHL team who should be on the NHL 18 cover

By David Rouben

Nov 2, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) prepares to throw pucks to the crowd after the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) prepares to throw pucks to the crowd after the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 24, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Carey Price talks to media after winning four awards during the 2015 NHL Awards at MGM Grand. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Carey Price talks to media after winning four awards during the 2015 NHL Awards at MGM Grand. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price

Looking back, it was criminal of EA to not have Carey Price on the cover of NHL 16. In 2014-15, he went 44-16-6 with a .933 save percentage. He led the league in both of those categories, and propelled the Canadiens to second in the East. Despite getting no help during the playoffs, he cleaned up at the NHL Awards by winning the Jennings, the Vezina, Ted Lindsay, and Hart Trophy.

It was one of the best seasons by a goalie ever, but EA’s Blackhawks bias shone through when they chose Toews and Kane over him. Then again, after that remarkable season, he was only limited to 12 games which severely derailed Montreal’s playoff hopes. Had he been placed on the NHL 16 cover, EA would’ve taken all the blame for his injury.

On the international stage, Price dominated in the Olympics and World Cup of Hockey, and won Gold on both occasions. The only thing that’s missing from his resume is a Stanley Cup, and considering he plays for the Habs, it might stay that way.

Even though he’s the best goalie in the league right now, he had a rough start. When he got drafted, Pierre McGuire derided the Habs for picking a goalie at No. 5. While everyone loves it when Pierre is wrong, this might be his finest work yet.

But few will forget the year when the Bruins swept them in the 2009 playoffs, and in the final game, he made the same gesture that Patrick Roy did before he requested a trade out of Montreal. Then a season later, he lost the starting job to Jaroslav Halak who took them all the way to the Conference Final. Despite Halak’s heroics, they stuck with the younger Price and the rest, as they say, is history.

After missing most of last year, he’s off to a scintillating start this season with the Habs. He has fashioned a perfect 10-0 start while allowing just 14 goals, and a save percentage of .957. At this point, they may as well rename the team the “Montreal Careydiens” because as they proved last year, and in their 10-0 loss to Columbus, they are nothing without him.

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