We recently discussed how the Montreal Canadiens might need to rethink their approach to jersey retirements. A natural extension of that conversation is whether one of the franchise’s greatest players deserves his number in the rafters too.
Let’s be honest—most fans today never saw many of the legends whose names and numbers now hang at the Bell Centre. A few may remember Patrick Roy or the dominance of the 1970s dynasty. Even fewer witnessed Jean Béliveau or Maurice “Rocket” Richard in their prime. But there’s one legendary Hab nearly all fans have seen play: Carey Price, the franchise leader in both games played and wins by a goaltender.
The Stanley Cup Argument
When discussing whether Price deserves the honour, the most common objection is simple: he never won a Stanley Cup. That’s true. But the real question is this: Must a player win a Cup to be considered one of the greats in Canadiens history?
The context of NHL history matters. In earlier decades, fewer teams meant a higher statistical chance of winning a Cup. The draft was different, and dynasties were possible. Today, with 32 teams, a hard salary cap, and free agency constantly reshuffling rosters, maintaining long-term excellence is far more difficult. Just look at how different the environment was for the Canadiens’ previous legendary goalies:
|
NAME |
SEASONS |
# OF FULL SEASONS |
# OF TEAMS AVG |
CAP YRS |
|
Jacques Plante |
1953–54 to 1962–63 |
10 |
6 |
0 |
|
Ken Dryden |
1971–72 to 1978–79 |
7 |
16.9 |
0 |
|
Patrick Roy |
1985–86 to 1994–95 |
10 |
21.7 |
0 |
|
Carey Price |
2007–08 to 2021–22 |
15 |
30.4 |
15 |
Does the absence of a Stanley Cup diminish a player’s greatness? Would Ken Dryden be less of a goalie without his championships? The answer, clearly, is no.
Life Without Price
History shows that when Carey Price isn’t in net, the Canadiens have struggled—badly.
- 2014 Playoffs: In Game 1 of the Conference Finals, Chris Kreider collided with Price, knocking him out for the rest of the series. The Habs lost in six.
- 2015–16 Season: After a historic 2014–15 season in which he won nearly every major award, Price was shut down after just 12 games. Without him, Montreal went 21-34-4—the worst record in the NHL over that span.
- 2021–22 Season: Prior to his return late in the season, the Canadiens went 20-43-11.
When you combine those two regular seasons, the Canadiens posted a dismal 41-77-15 record—a .328 points percentage. The team, in essence, collapsed without him.
A Lack of Offensive Support
Price was rarely given strong offensive help. In fact, he played with just one 80-point scorer in his entire career—Alex Kovalev, during Price’s rookie season. He never once had the benefit of a point-per-game teammate. Let that sink in.
His achievements become even more impressive when you consider how little scoring support he received.
Awards and Accolades
While Price didn’t win a Cup, his list of individual honours is staggering:
- Molson Cup Winner: 2009, 2011–2015, 2017, 2019
- NHL All-Star: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017–2019
- NHL All-Rookie Team
- NHL YoungStars Game Participant
- William M. Jennings Trophy
- Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)
- Ted Lindsay Award (MVP as voted by the players)
- Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP as voted by the media)
- NHL First All-Star Team
- Lou Marsh Trophy (Canada’s Top Athlete)
- Lionel Conacher Award (Canadian Press Male Athlete of the Year)
Representing Canada and the Canadiens, Price also added:
- Olympic Gold Medal (2014, Sochi)
- Best Goaltender at the Sochi Olympics (IIHF Award)
Add to that his perennial recognition in NHLPA player polls as both the league’s toughest goalie to beat and the best at his position—and it’s clear he earned the respect of his peers.
Franchise Leader in Wins and Longevity
No goaltender in Canadiens history has more regular-season wins than Carey Price—361, eclipsing Jacques Plante’s 314. And unlike his predecessors, Price didn’t have a powerhouse team in front of him.
He also played more games in goal for Montreal (712) than any other netminder, a testament to his longevity in arguably the league’s most pressure-packed position.
Even in the playoffs, he compares favourably to Patrick Roy when wearing the Canadiens jersey:
|
REG. SEASON |
PLAYOFFS |
|||
|
GAA |
Sv% |
GAA |
Sv% |
|
|
Roy |
2.78 |
.904 |
2.46 |
.913 |
|
Price |
2.50 |
.917 |
2.39 |
.919 |
Final Thoughts
So, does Carey Price deserve to see his number 31 raised to the rafters—even without a Stanley Cup? The answer should be a resounding YES.
He gave everything he had to this franchise, carried it through dark years, and consistently performed at a Hall-of-Fame level without the kind of team support others before him enjoyed.
Carey Price will have his number retired by the Canadiens one day. And when it happens, it will be not just well deserved—it should be a unanimous and undisputed decision.
