Contract won’t get worse because the team will be better in the next years. We are close to finish the retooling, is numbers will go up. He is good, the team in front of him, not so good + he doesn’t have a backup goalie[/quote]
The contract was signed with the idea that the cap would continue to rise, and with a flat cap it is a huge obstacle.
I agree that the team will likely be better soon, but that will come at the price of paying the young players well. When all the young guys like Kotkaniemi, Suzuki, Caufield, Romanov, etc come off their ELC's in a couple of years Montreal are going to wish they had more capspace, and $10.5m for a then-35 year old Price (for another 4 years) will look dreadful, especially if he continues to decline statistically.[/quote]
Ok Just had to weigh in here. The stats show that p
Price is on the decline huh?
1. Montreal faced on of the most high danger chances in the league this season. Meaning they gave up the most shots from the inner slot than any other team in the league. I don't care how good of a goalie you are if you face that many inner slot shots your numbers are going to get inflated.
2. They lost a league high 20 games by 1 goal. Again this is on the team, no goal scoring when Price has kept them in games. Price cannot score the goals for the team but he certainly kept them in those games.
3. The Habs faced the most odd man rushes in the league this year. Another team defense issue!
4. Price was at the top or near the top of the league in shots faced as well.
5. Goalies do not age the same as players do. Roy, Luongo and Broaduer were all still elite goalies even after the age of 35 because they had better teams in front of them than Price has ever had. Price's numbers were pretty good when you consider how many of the above categories the Habs lead the league in this year, plus the many more I didn't list. Think Grubauer could have had the same numbers this year in Price's shoes? I don't!