Carey Price facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carey Price
Price with the Montreal Canadiens in January 2015
Born	(1987-08-16) August 16, 1987 (age 37) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team	Montreal Canadiens
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	5th overall, 2005 Montreal Canadiens
Playing career	2007–present

Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He played most of his career for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). Many people think Price was one of the best goalies of his time. He holds the record for the most wins by a goaltender in Canadiens history, with 361 career wins.

Price started his junior hockey career with the Tri-City Americans in 2002. The Canadiens picked him fifth overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. In 2007, he won awards like the Del Wilson Trophy for best WHL goalie and CHL Goaltender of the Year. Before joining the NHL, Price helped the Hamilton Bulldogs win their first championship, the Calder Cup, and was named the playoff MVP.

Price joined the Canadiens in the 2007–08 NHL season. He quickly became their main starting goalie. In 2015, he had an amazing season, winning four major NHL awards: the Ted Lindsay Award, William M. Jennings Trophy, Vezina Trophy, and Hart Trophy. He was the first goalie ever to win all four in one season! In 2021, Price led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1993, but they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Price also played for Team Canada in many international tournaments. He won silver medals at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in 2004 and the IIHF World U18 Championship in 2005. He won a gold medal at the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In 2014, Price helped Team Canada win a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He was named the best goalie of that tournament. In 2016, he helped Canada win the 2016 World Cup of Hockey without losing a single game.

Early Life and Hockey Start

Carey Price was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. His mother, Lynda, is the chief of the Ulkatcho First Nation. His father, Jerry, was also a goalie and was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1978. Even though Jerry didn't play in the NHL, he played pro hockey for a few years and coached goalies for the Tri-City Americans. Carey has a younger sister named Kayla.

When Carey was three, his family moved to Anahim Lake, a small town in central British Columbia. His father taught him how to play goalie on a frozen creek during winter. To play organized hockey, Carey had to travel to Williams Lake, which was over five hours away by car. To make the long trip easier, his father bought a small plane to fly him to practices and games!

Playing Career Highlights

Junior Hockey with Tri-City Americans

Price first played in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Tri-City Americans in the 2002–03 season. The next season, he became the backup goalie. He had a good Goals against average (GAA) of 2.38 and a .915 save percentage (SV%).

In the 2004–05 season, Price became the main goalie. He played in 63 games, which was the most in the league. He had a 2.34 GAA and a .920 SV%, with eight shutouts. Because of his great play, the NHL Central Scouting ranked him as the best North American goalie. The Montreal Canadiens surprisingly drafted him fifth overall.

Price had a strong 2006–07 season, with a 2.45 GAA and .917 SV%. He won the Del Wilson Trophy as the top WHL goalie and the CHL Goaltender of the Year award.

Winning the Calder Cup with Hamilton Bulldogs

After his junior team was out of the playoffs, Price joined the Hamilton Bulldogs, the Canadiens' minor league team, for the 2007 Calder Cup playoffs. He helped the Bulldogs win their first ever Calder Cup championship! Price was named the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy winner as the playoff MVP. He was only the third teenage goalie to win this award.

Montreal Canadiens (2007–2022)

Starting in the NHL

Price made his exciting NHL debut on October 10, 2007, with a 3–2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was sent back to the Hamilton Bulldogs for a short time, but then called back up. When the Canadiens traded their starting goalie, Price took over the main role. He was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for March 2008. The Canadiens finished first in their conference that year. Price led all rookie goalies with 24 wins, a .920 save percentage, and 3 shutouts. He was even named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.

In the 2008 playoffs, Price got his first playoff shutout as a rookie, just like Patrick Roy did in 1986. The Canadiens won their first series but lost in the second round.

Price had a tough 2009–10 season. He lost his starting job to another goalie, Jaroslav Halák. The Canadiens made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Final that year, but Price played in only a few games. After the season, the Canadiens decided to keep Price and traded Halák. Price signed a new two-year contract.

Becoming an All-Star

The 2010–11 season was much better for Price. He played in 72 games and set new career highs with 38 wins and eight shutouts. He was chosen to play in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. His strong play helped the Canadiens make the playoffs, but they lost in the first round.

On October 26, 2011, Price earned his 100th NHL win. He played in his third All-Star Game a few months later. The 2011–12 season was not good for the Canadiens, and they missed the playoffs. Price missed the last four games because of a concussion.

In July 2012, Price signed a big six-year contract with the Canadiens. In the 2012–13 season, Price started strong, but then got a groin injury in the playoffs. This injury kept him out for the rest of the series, and the Canadiens were eliminated.

Price practicing with the Canadiens in January 2013

The 2013–14 season saw Price play very well again. He had 34 wins and a career-best 2.32 GAA. The Canadiens swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. Then, they faced their rivals, the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens upset the Bruins in seven games, with Price playing a huge role. However, Price got another injury in the next round against the New York Rangers and missed the rest of the playoffs. The Canadiens lost that series.

Winning Major Awards and Stanley Cup Run

Price had the best season of his career in 2014–15. He led the league in wins (44), goals against average (1.96), and save percentage (.933). He helped the Canadiens win their division. That season, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy (league's most valuable player), the Vezina Trophy (best goaltender), the Ted Lindsay Award (most valuable player as voted by players), and the William M. Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed). He was only the second player in Canadiens history to win four awards in one season.

Price playing in January 2015

Early in the 2015–16 season, Price suffered a knee injury. He was expected to return, but the injury kept him out for the rest of the season. It was a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain.

At the start of the 2016–17 season, Price set a record by winning his first 10 games. In July 2017, Price signed a huge eight-year contract extension worth $84 million. This made him the highest-paid goalie in the NHL for a time.

Price had some more injuries in the 2017–18 season, including a concussion. Despite this, he made his 557th career NHL start for the Canadiens, breaking Jacques Plante's franchise record. On October 27, 2018, Price passed Patrick Roy for second place in Canadiens career wins. On March 12, 2019, he passed Jacques Plante to become the Canadiens' all-time winningest goalie with his 315th victory.

In the 2019–20 season, Price played 58 games. The season ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadiens made the expanded 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. They upset the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round, with Price playing incredibly well. They then lost in the first round.

For the 2020–21 season, teams played only within their divisions. Price got a concussion in April 2021. He played one game with the minor league team, the Laval Rocket, to get ready to return. The Canadiens made the playoffs as the last seed.

Price played much better in the playoffs. He led the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup Finals in 28 years! They came back from being down 3–1 to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, then swept the Winnipeg Jets, and finally beat the Vegas Golden Knights. Everyone said Price was the most important player in their amazing playoff run. In the Finals, the Canadiens lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

Later Years and Health Challenges

In 2021, the Seattle Kraken joined the NHL. Teams had to protect players from being picked by Seattle. Price had a contract that protected him, but he offered to let the Canadiens protect another goalie instead. The Kraken decided not to pick Price, and he stayed with the Canadiens.

Price had knee surgery in July 2021. He was expected to be ready for the new season, but his recovery took much longer than planned. During his absence, the Canadiens struggled. The team changed its general manager and coach. Price finally returned to play on April 15, 2022. He played five games that season, winning one. He said he would look for more answers about his knee over the summer.

Price was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an award for a player who shows great perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. He won the award in 2022. He spoke about how important it is to overcome challenges and keep moving forward.

In August 2022, the Canadiens announced that Price likely wouldn't play in the 2022–23 season. He later shared that he might need a complicated knee surgery, but the chances of it working were low. Price's wife, Angela, hinted in 2023 that they were moving back to British Columbia, suggesting Price's playing career might be over. Price said he wished he could have returned, but it wasn't possible.

International Play

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's ice hockey
Canada Cup / World Cup
Gold	2016 Toronto
Winter Olympics
Gold	2014 Sochi
World Junior Championships
Gold	2007 Sweden
IIHF World U18 Championships
Silver	2005 Czech Republic
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Silver	2004 Newfoundland and Labrador

Price first played for Hockey Canada at the 2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, winning a silver medal. He also won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships.

In 2007, Price played for the Canadian national junior team at the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Sweden. He led Canada to its third straight gold medal! He was named the tournament's MVP and Best Goaltender.

On January 7, 2014, Price was chosen for the 2014 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team. He and his friend P. K. Subban were the first Canadiens players picked for the Olympic team since 1998. Price started Canada's first game and played great throughout the tournament. He had two shutouts, including one against Team USA in the semifinals. In the gold medal game against Sweden, Price made 24 saves for another shutout, helping Canada win the gold medal! He finished the tournament undefeated and was named the best goaltender by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

Playing Style

Carey Price uses a "butterfly hybrid" style of goaltending. This means he mixes standing up for high shots with dropping to his knees to cover the bottom of the net. People often praise Price for how calm he is on the ice. His Olympic teammate, Drew Doughty, said Price was the "calmest goalie" he had ever played with. Price's calm and careful way of playing often makes difficult saves look easy. The Canadiens' coaches and management also see Price as one of the team's leaders.

Helping Others

In 2015, Price worked with CCM to give $10,000 worth of hockey equipment to a youth hockey league in Williams Lake, B.C. Since 2014, Price has also been an ambassador for the Breakfast Club of Canada. This group helps make sure children across Canada get healthy meals.

At the 2019 NHL Awards, Price presented the Feel Good Moment Award to a young fan named Anderson Whitehead. Anderson's mother had wanted him to meet Price before she passed away.

Personal Life

Carey Price is of Ulkatcho descent through his mother. He was an honorary co-chair for the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in 2010.

Price met his wife, Angela, when he was playing for the Tri-City Americans. They were set up on a blind date. They live in Kelowna, British Columbia, during the hockey off-season. They got married in August 2013.

Carey and Angela have three children: a daughter named Liv (born 2016), another daughter named Millie (born 2018), and a son named Lincoln (born 2020).

Price's sister, Kayla, is married to former Canadiens teammate Yannick Weber. They met at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Price enjoys spending time outdoors, camping and hunting. In May 2024, Price received an honorary law degree from the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). This was to recognize how he inspires Indigenous youth and his charity work.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates league leader
* indicates franchise record

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	W	L	OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2005	Canada	WJC18			4	2	2	0	249	11	0	2.65	.894
2007	Canada	WJC			6	6	0	0	370	7	2	1.14	.961
2014	Canada	OG			5	5	0	0	303	3	2	0.59	.972
2016	Canada	WCH			5	5	0	0	300	7	1	1.40	.957
Junior totals					10	8	2	0	619	18	2	1.74	—
Senior totals					10	10	0	0	603	10	3	0.99	—

Awards

Images for kids

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  Price playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs in June 2007

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  Price warming up in March 2009

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  Price defends the net against Jeff Skinner in a November 2011 game