Lamenting one that got away
NHL AWARDS: Habs’ Carey Price would trade nominations for shot at Stanley Cup
LAS VEGAS — In trying to capture the spirit of Sin City, Carey Price attended the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show the other day.
On Wednesday evening, in front of packed house at the glitzy MGM Grand, the Canadiens goaltender has a chance to put on his own circus act.
Welcome to the Carey Price Magic Show, one in which he juggles four trophies at the same time.
Or at least in the span of two hours, anyway.
In the shadows of the glitzy neon lights of the famed Vegas strip, Price is in line to land a historic haul of hardware, one that could net him the Hart Trophy (MVP), Vezina Trophy (top goalie) and the Ted Lindsay Award (MVP as voted by the players). He’s guaranteed along with Chicago’s Corey Crawford to share the Jennings Trophy, the annual award given to the goalkeeper(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it.
“He’s been in the league for what, about eight years? It’s about time he gets the recognition he deserves,” Habs defenceman P.K. Subban said.
Yet, in the midst of this Carey Price love-in here in the desert, the man himself is only thinking about one prize, one bauble, one award.
The one that got away. The Stanley Cup.
Revealing that he didn’t watch any playoffs after his Canadiens were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round, Price was still aware that Crawford — a Montreal area native — won his second NHL title last week.
“I have to admit, I’m a bit envious of him,” Price said. Just call it Cup envy. Olympic gold-medal aside, Carey Price would trade in all other awards for the chance to hoist hockey’s Holy Grail like Crawford has done. Twice.
But that certainly doesn’t diminish the incredible accomplishment turned in by the Canadiens superstar puckstopper. In fact, on Wednesday night he could very well become the first goaltender since Dominik Hasek in 1997 and 1998 to pull off the Big Three by capturing the Vezina, Hart and Ted Lindsay awards.
No goalie has won the Hart and Vezina in the same season since Jose Theodore in 2002.
“To be honest, I haven’t thought about any of those things,” Price said.
As he addressed the media Tuesday, Price didn’t want to talk about his heady accomplishments of 201415, which included leading the league in wins (44), goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.933). But some of his opponents certainly did.
“He had an incredible year,” said New York Islanders captain John Tavares, who is up for the Hart against Price along with Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.
“The thing about Carey is, you might think you have him beat. You aim for a spot. Suddenly his glove comes out with hardly any effort and snaps it up like it’s a tennis ball.”
Led by Price, the festivities Wednesday stand to have a very Canadian flavour to them.
Other representatives from Canadian-based teams who are up for awards include Subban, the Senators’ Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone and Andrew Hammond, the Jets’ Andrew Ladd (Mark Messier Leadership Award) and the Flames’ Bob Hartley, Johnny Gaudreau and Jiri Hudler.
For his part, Karlsson feels he has upped his game from the 2011-12 season when he captured the Norris for the first time.
“I think I have improved as a player, an all-around player,” Karlsson said. “Obviously with experience you get every year, every player develops into something better. I’m happy where I am right now.
“I think I’ve made progress since my season three years ago.”
If Karlsson captures his second Norris, it will be a big story. But on Wednesday night, there is a good chance that all the nominees will be mere sideshows to the star Vegas act that is Carey Price.
“I have to admit, I’m a bit envious of him (Corey Crawford.)” — Carey Price on Chicago’s Stanley Cup-winning goalie