Yesterday Redwing77 posted a story about the Habs trading their top goalie Jaroslav Halak to the St Louis Blues. It's a head scratcher, if you ask me, it doesn't make sense at all. I am sure most Bruins fans like myself are happy that they won't have to face Halak on a regular basis because frankly Carey Price is an unimpressive and horrible goalie.
Carey Price's representative almost dropped the phone when we spoke. Jaroslav Halak is stunned that Montreal never contacted him after the season, meaning the Blues didn't even try to talk contract before making the deal. Tom Laidlaw, who represents Chris Mason, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "They gave us every indication they wanted Chris to be the guy." [CBC.CA]Seriously they never even contacted him, that's a slap in the face. Halak was the reason the Habs went as far as they did. Jaroslav Halak was impressive during the Stanley Cup playoffs posting a record 9-9 2.55 and .923 save percentage, without Halak the Habs would have been done in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.
If Carey Price doesn't play well this season the General Manager Pierre Gauthier can expect to feel the ire of the rabid Habs fans if Carey Price ends up imploding.
One reporter interrupted a Gauthier response on the conference call to say his wife didn't understand how the team could trade a goalie that got them to the playoffs. It was rude and annoying, but illustrates the sentiment.
Halak is the people's choice in La Belle Province. Price has zero room for error and I'm pretty sure he's aware of that.
Obviously, this is the biggest risk. So many people who've seen Price play at the world juniors and in the AHL believe he will still be a great NHL goaltender. They believe in his size, his athleticism, his skill. He showed a lot off-ice this season, too, getting into the best shape of his career, and being helpful to Halak as a backup.
The key question is: How will he handle the first boos? We all know they're coming. Price hasn't reacted well to that in the past. Patrick Roy even pulled him aside and told him, "Hey, I had to go through it, too, so don't let it bother you."
I'm one of those who are not convinced the best place for Price is Montreal. I think it would be better if he started over somewhere else. But that option is gone now, and he's being thrown into the ocean without a lifejacket. The danger in Gauthier saying you need two goalies now - as he did on the conference call - is that it will take one bad goal for the fans to start screaming for the other guy.
Great goalies, and great players, overcome that. It is Price's time to show his greatness. [CBC.CA]
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