The year that tanked Price's stats was 17-18. His GSAA that year was -17.49. What happened that year? He came into the year fighting what was diagnosed as CFS (Chronic Fatigure Syndrome). It probably wasn't exactly that... but he definitely had vitamin deficiencies which sapped his energy. I imagine that might wreak havoc on a goalie's ability. Then, as the year progressed and he started to turn it around a little, he got a concussion that knocked him out for quite a while. I mean, yeah, he's not Carey Price absolute f***ing unit anymore.
And he went .909 and 2.79 this year... on a pretty bad Montreal team.
I actually don't think Price is going to age super terribly. He's not Jonathan Quick or Dominik Hasek. He's positionally sound to the extreme. He can definitely still make tremendous saves when called upon, but his whole game is predicated on just being in the right place all the time.
Carey Price Had an Amazing Season with the Montreal Canadiens
Carey Price is still absolutely an elite goaltender.
Dom Hasek aged pretty well. He was 38 when he won the cup.
Carey Price was a 10/10 goalie at the age of 27-28-29.
But he hasn't been the same since.
I posted his last three years. Nothing "elite" about those stats.
He bounced back last year, and then slid a bit again this year before having a great playoff.
And I think that's what you're going to get from Price in this stage.
A pretty good to very good goalie who can help you steal a series.
But at 33, you'd be foolish to expect this stage of his career to go for long before he declines to the next stage.
Lundquist slipped in his 33 year.
Quick slipped in his 33 year.
Rask slipped at 28 for four years before bouncing back last year.
Crawford slipped at 34.
Howard slipped at 29 and then the wheels fell off at 35.
I can see price having a good year the next year, two or even three. I don't think he'll ever be Hart Trophy material again. But I could see top 10 finishes in Vezina voting.
But at 36? 37? 38?
In this era? I don't see it.
And that's the genesis of this conversation. Price's contract as he ages is going to get very, very ugly. I'm expecting a whole lot of LTIR over those last 3 years.