Should Carey Price’s number be retired?

[StCaufield]

I liked the guy, but no he didn’t. You might think he did because he was the best player on the team for several years, but even Subban had more of an impact on the city than him.

Well it’s an opinion. People didn’t cry when subban left. He was polarizing and price wasn’t other than the Halak stuff

 

[le_sean]

Well it’s an opinion. People didn’t cry when subban left. He was polarizing and price wasn’t other than the Halak stuff

People are still crying today about the Subban trade. There’s a Subban mural in Montreal. His impact is still felt at the Children’s Hospital today. It’s just a fact.

 

[Mrb1p]

Carey Price was a better hockey player than 99% of the players in the rafter. He would rank around 5th or 6th if we don't circle jerk and ignore eras.

He was certainly a better goaltender than Dryden.

 

[WeThreeKings]

People are still crying today about the Subban trade. There’s a Subban mural in Montreal. His impact is still felt at the Children’s Hospital today. It’s just a fact.

If Subban had the longevity in Montreal, I wonder how things would have looked for him toward number retirement here. Probably falls short but a case maybe could have been made.

Of the players I grew up watching, I think only Koivu, Subban, Markov and Price have ring of honor credentials, and Price sits with the reasonable discussion with jersey retirement.

 

[le_sean]

OK but they've retired guys who are not the Rockets or Beliveau's of the world.



But then we are saying he can't get his number retired, but we are ignoring that

a) some of the cup winning number retirees played in leagues of 6 or less than 32 teams.
b) some played in eras where the gulf in talent between good teams and bad teams was massive.
c) some only had to win 8 games to win a Stanley Cup. A number Price managed multiple times but did not lead to a cup.
d) some won cups in eras where you were playing trash expansion teams a la St Louis Blues in the cup finals.

We can argue Koivu did more for the franchise but he has no records and no hardware. I'd love to see him retired from a sentimental point of view, but from a practical standpoint, there's nothing we can actually point to as a metric to say he deserves to have his number retired.

I take great issue with the fact that someone has to win a cup to have their number retired here. Are we saying that in bizarro world, Sidney Crosby has the same career in Montreal but never wins a cup, that we wouldn't retire the number of Crosby because he has no cups?

It's an arbitrary sticking point - I'd accept the era differences argument way more than the cup argument. But even if you adjust for eras, the numbers are going to tell you that Price was as dominant a goalie over his career that there ever is, in any era. He's not the Hasek/Roy/Brodeur tier, but the next tier below that, he's got an absolute claim.

Plus for context you put the absolute absence of talent and managerial savvy that he had to deal with; what he did was remarkable.

I’m not discounting what he didn’t. I realize it was difficult for him. But a precedent is set. You need a Cup when that is the expectation of the franchise. We are not the Leafs or Sens.

But if we really want to get to details against him, he has a total of two Top 3 Vezina finishes in 14 seasons. I’d argue he was the 3rd or 4th best goalie of his generation in his own conference - Lundqvist was better, Vasilevskiy was better and it’s a toss up between him and Rask. This is just in his own conference. He was really good for many years but let’s not make it seem he has no comparables.

 

[ReHabs]

I liked the guy, but no he didn’t. You might think he did because he was the best player on the team for several years, but even Subban had more of an impact on the city than him.

As soon as we win the Stanley Cup the Price era will look even crappier in comparison.

I simply don’t see it.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

OK but they've retired guys who are not the Rockets or Beliveau's of the world.



But then we are saying he can't get his number retired, but we are ignoring that

a) some of the cup winning number retirees played in leagues of 6 or less than 32 teams.
b) some played in eras where the gulf in talent between good teams and bad teams was massive.
c) some only had to win 8 games to win a Stanley Cup. A number Price managed multiple times but did not lead to a cup.
d) some won cups in eras where you were playing trash expansion teams a la St Louis Blues in the cup finals.

We can argue Koivu did more for the franchise but he has no records and no hardware. I'd love to see him retired from a sentimental point of view, but from a practical standpoint, there's nothing we can actually point to as a metric to say he deserves to have his number retired.

I take great issue with the fact that someone has to win a cup to have their number retired here. Are we saying that in bizarro world, Sidney Crosby has the same career in Montreal but never wins a cup, that we wouldn't retire the number of Crosby because he has no cups?

It's an arbitrary sticking point - I'd accept the era differences argument way more than the cup argument. But even if you adjust for eras, the numbers are going to tell you that Price was as dominant a goalie over his career that there ever is, in any era. He's not the Hasek/Roy/Brodeur tier, but the next tier below that, he's got an absolute claim.

Plus for context you put the absolute absence of talent and managerial savvy that he had to deal with; what he did was remarkable.

My argument would be that now is the perfect time to pivot and “honour” the numbers rather than retire them.

IMO Andrei Markov is just as deserving of this honour as price. While he didn’t win any major awards he was far more consistent in his play over the years.

 

[le_sean]

As soon as we win the Stanley Cup the Price era will look even crappier in comparison.

I simply don’t see it.

It’s a shitty era and it’s not his fault. It’s an interesting debate. I don’t think there’s a wrong answer.

 

[ReHabs]

Carey Price was a better hockey player than 99% of the players in the rafter. He would rank around 5th or 6th if we don't circle jerk and ignore eras.

He was certainly a better goaltender than Dryden.

Jersey retirements are gifts and recognition for the people who brought unprecedented joy to the fans. So much so that they permanently changed how the team is viewed and the relationship between the city, the fans, and the team.

In Montreal, that standard baseline is a Cup parade. Hockey nerd stuff comes much down the line from that.

 

[Mrb1p]

The restriction is what makes the Habs the Habs, imo. The rafters are more prestigious than the HHOF. It would be a shame to sully that.

As the Price era fades we will rightly remember him as a titan who carried the torch through the darkest period in Habs history. But I hope to be looking back from a bright spot.

Assuming seeing a top 5 player in the last two decades, best player in the league, undoubtedly top 10 goaltender of all time was not a bright spot is the mistake.

How do you explain that Lapointe is in the rafters? An all-time great but pale in comparison with his contemporaries and his own teammates. He was never the best on his team, let alone in the world. What do we do then?

 

[ReHabs]

Assuming seeing a top 5 player in the last two decades, best player in the league, undoubtedly top 10 goaltender of all time was not a bright spot is the mistake.

How do you explain that Lapointe is in the rafters? An all-time great but pale in comparison with his contemporaries and his own teammates. He was never the best on his team, let alone in the world. What do we do then?

At no point was Carey Price better than Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid.

It’s arguable if he was even the best Goalie of his generation.

Cheers.

Lapointe was part of a dynasty that broke hockey and redefined dominance. He didn’t earn it individually but as a cohort they brought the goods: Stanley Cups.

 

[BLONG7]

As soon as we win the Stanley Cup the Price era will look even crappier in comparison.

I simply don’t see it.

We had NO one on the team during the Price era...............that's not on Price.
A guy like Marcel Dionne played on crap teams.......crap teams and he is HOF and retired number.
The Habs standard for retiring numbers is wrong.............you should not need a Cup.

That said I don't think the habs do all of this right either, numbers should be honored not retired.
One thing the Leafs do right, and we do wrong.

 

[Le Tricolore]

I'm honestly shocked that no has more than half the vote. To me, Price's number being retired is a no brainer. I understand that he didn't win the Cup here, but that's not really on him. Price is one of the best goalies to ever play for the Habs, has a few records, and played his entire team on an organization that was pretty poorly run for most of his time here.

Price is the only player whose played on the team in the last 30 (fine, 29) years that deserves the honour. And the amount of money I will spend on a ticket if and when it does happens is obscene.

 

[BLONG7]

At no point was Carey Price better than Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid.

It’s arguable if he was even the best Goalie of his generation.

Cheers.

Lapointe was part of a dynasty that broke hockey and redefined dominance. He didn’t earn it individually but as a cohort they brought the goods: Stanley Cups.

So, we agree Lapointe would NOT have his number retired without playing on a GREAT team.....

 

[le_sean]

So, we agree Lapointe would NOT have his number retired without playing on a GREAT team.....

Lapointe being retired is a farce. He was the 3rd best defenceman on his team. I get being nostalgic for that era, but it’s too much. Pick 2 guys max, not 5-6

 

[Mrb1p]

Jersey retirements are gifts and recognition for the people who brought unprecedented joy to the fans. So much so that they permanently changed how the team is viewed and the relationship between the city, the fans, and the team.

In Montreal, that standard baseline is a Cup parade. Hockey nerd stuff comes much down the line from that.

Carey Price changed Montreal, I'm not sure there's a debate for you there.

I'd say he pretty clearly also changed hockey forever. He's on the same level as Boom-boom, Roy and Harvey as pioneer for his position. They don't look for the "Next Lundqvist" they look for the next Price. He is the blueprint to what a perfect goaltender should be and will be the template for generations.

As for the "joy", did you not follow the times he grabbed this team, this basement dweller of a team, I should say and took us within less than 6 wins, twice ?


Ridiculously high standards and ridiculously unfair standards you're applying. What happens if McDavid never wins a cup ? He doesn't get his jersey retired ?

At no point was Carey Price better than Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid.

It’s arguable if he was even the best Goalie of his generation.

Cheers.

Lapointe was part of a dynasty that broke hockey and redefined dominance. He didn’t earn it individually but as a cohort they brought the goods: Stanley Cups.

2014-2017 he was clearly the best player on the planet. Crosby even said so himself, multiple times. It was clearly seen in the olympics, he was the engine that stirred the drink to what was potentially the best olympic hockey team of all-time.

Yes, Lapointe was great and he earned his jersey retirement by being in the right place at the right time, an unfair and quite asinine way of going about things, lol.

I'm honestly shocked that no has more than half the vote. To me, Price's number being retired is a no brainer. I understand that he didn't win the Cup here, but that's not really on him. Price is one of the best goalies to ever play for the Habs, has a few records, and played his entire team on an organization that was pretty poorly run for most of his time here.

Price is the only player whose played on the team in the last 30 (fine, 29) years that deserves the honour. And the amount of money I will spend on a ticket if and when it does happens is obscene.

He's not only one of the best goalies to play for the Habs, but he's one of the best players to play for the Habs. Price transcends position as a great, it's crazy how out of touch the average fan is to his greatness.

 

[Conflicted Habs fan]

Once he makes a comeback and helps win a cup for the city then yes, he'll be right up there with Dryden et al

 

[BLONG7]

Lapointe being retired is a farce. He was the 3rd best defenceman on his team. I get being nostalgic for that era, but it’s too much. Pick 2 guys max, not 5-6

Which is exactly why we should honor numbers eh...................Dryden will tell you straight up, Price was a much better goalie than he was, so different eras produce results that are very hard to correlate....

 

[Lshap]

The price talk always gets so toxic.

The price homers just dont want to hear anything negative and make no concessions in regards to price.

Toxic? No concessions? You seem to be having your own private conversation. There's no wrong answer to this question and most of us debating it respectfully.

 

[le_sean]

Which is exactly why we should honor numbers eh...................Dryden will tell you straight up, Price was a much better goalie than he was, so different eras produce results that are very hard to correlate....

I wouldn’t take anything Dryden says seriously. I’ve never seen someone love to talk without actually saying anything as much as him. I think he’s just being nice because 5 Cups in 7 years makes it a no contest. And 1971 throws out the “team” accomplishment argument out the window.

 

[Mrb1p]

The price talk always gets so toxic.

The price homers just dont want to hear anything negative and make no concessions in regards to price.

Because theres none to make and it's ridiculous to be negative about such a great player. If you say the sky is orange you'll be met with the same results. Don't be blatantly wrong and you won't be called wrong.

 

[BLONG7]

I wouldn’t take anything Dryden says seriously. I’ve never seen someone love to talk without actually saying anything as much as him. I think he’s just being nice because 5 Cups in 7 years makes it a no contest. And 1971 throws out the “team” accomplishment argument out the window.

Dryden was a great goalie, much better than he gives himself credit for.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Which is exactly why we should honor numbers eh...................Dryden will tell you straight up, Price was a much better goalie than he was, so different eras produce results that are very hard to correlate....

I wouldn’t put a ton of stock into old players saying player “x” is better than they were.

How many times has Gretzky came out here and said similar stuff?

They’re just trying to be humble.

 

[le_sean]

Lapointe being retired is a farce. He was the 3rd best defenceman on his team. I get being nostalgic for that era, but it’s too much. Pick 2 guys max, not 5-6

Heck I went back and it’s actually 7 players from that era. Robinson, Savard, Lapointe, Lafleur, Dryden, Cournoyer, Gainey. Come on

 

[GrandBison]

Lapointe being retired is a farce. He was the 3rd best defenceman on his team. I get being nostalgic for that era, but it’s too much. Pick 2 guys max, not 5-6

I don't understand why they set the bar at Lapointe level. Carbonneau, Damphousse, Koivu, Markov, Subban, (+ a bunch of others) could all enter the discussion as comparables. Some have cups. Before Lapointe, a Cup and a Connie-Smythe was pretty much the standard for post-expansion players.