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Gord Miller

Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:24 p.m.
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I have a HUGE amount of respect for your opinions.
Carey Price has been average, at best, during many of his performances this season. I agree.
But do we really think he’s not going to return to his all world form?
Do we really take a day where there’s been a coaching change (because the whole team has been playing poorly) to ponder if Price will resemble an aging Lundqvist? Because of a sample size of 11 regular season games? When the team overall has also been poor recently?
Price was all world last postseason, as he has been most of his career. To the point that Anderson, Toffoli, Edmundson, etc. all chose to sign here long term? Do most elite goaltenders stop being good at 33? 34? 35?

Our defense was solid to start the season and the team was winning. If I had to point to one event, Victor Mete’s agent shot his mouth off speaking (erroneously) for Bergevin about what was “in the best interest of the team” before being refuted directly that he was not going to trade him, and that it’s not an agent’s place to say what’s in the best interest of the team.
The error here, in my opinion, was with Julien for playing Mete. Julien broke up the Romanov Kulak pairing, and I’d argue that neither Romanov, nor Kulak, nor the rest of our D, nor Carey Price, nor our forward group as a whole, have been as good since.

Ironically, when Ferris said that it would be in the best interest of the team to work together to find a trade, despite being wrong for speaking about what the team was going to do, he might have been right that trading a malcontent is better for team cohesion than keeping him (especially when you choose to play him when you’d probably be better off continuing to sit him).

It’ll be interesting to see what Ducharme does with Mete. If I had to bet though, I imagine the coaching change alone will be enough to light a fire into Price and we should see both him, and the rest of the team, back at the top of their potential in short order.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:28 p.m.
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Edited Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:42 p.m.
yost1.png

No he isn’t going to return to his all word form, this is what impacts declining and aging curves look like. The numbers are showing a trend over the past few years of a decline of play, chances are this is who he is for the majority of his career with spurts of incredible play vs him coming back as a top goalie. Its not just a 11 game stretch, its started multiple seasons ago
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Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:34 p.m.
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I play goalie (not elite but I understand the position) things that I’ve noticed from price are he is still incredibly athletic, he’s made several great saves every night including against Ottawa last night. He seems to be giving up some **** goals, which i believe is mental. Pure athleticism will allow you to make the amazing saves but the mental game is we’re some bad goals go in. Last year he had stretches of poor play and others of incredible play. He then saw an opportunity in front of him when they expanded the playoffs and the Habs qualified. He was mentally sharp. Not saying this new coach will fix him, but a new situation along with some wins and good play from him might ‘flip a switch’ and help him mentally. I think he can still be a high end goalie, especially if the team plays better in front of him
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Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:47 p.m.
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"But do we really think he’s not going to return to his all world form?" How are you guaranteed he will?
Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:47 p.m.
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Quoting: Howisjulienstillhere
I play goalie (not elite but I understand the position) things that I’ve noticed from price are he is still incredibly athletic, he’s made several great saves every night including against Ottawa last night. He seems to be giving up some **** goals, which i believe is mental. Pure athleticism will allow you to make the amazing saves but the mental game is we’re some bad goals go in. Last year he had stretches of poor play and others of incredible play. He then saw an opportunity in front of him when they expanded the playoffs and the Habs qualified. He was mentally sharp. Not saying this new coach will fix him, but a new situation along with some wins and good play from him might ‘flip a switch’ and help him mentally. I think he can still be a high end goalie, especially if the team plays better in front of him


I’m with you. He looks to me like he’s been less focused than his usual 100th percentile level of focus. So it definitely stands out. But again, we’re talking about a really small sample size, at the start of the season, and in a covid season with no fans (that i am absolutely certain he draws energy from), no less. I’m not sure that focus/concentration is something that you typically lose at 33 years old though. If I’m Bergevin right now, honestly, Carey Price is the last thing I’d be concerned about. Carey and Waite should be able to nip this in the bud in pretty short order.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:49 p.m.
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Quoting: bhavikp27
"But do we really think he’s not going to return to his all world form?" How are you guaranteed he will?


There are no guarantees, but the question is what is the reasoning to base the theory of his decline upon? I don’t see it. My money’s on Price.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:52 p.m.
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Quoting: Wreckless
I’m with you. He looks to me like he’s been less focused than his usual 100th percentile level of focus. So it definitely stands out. But again, we’re talking about a really small sample size, at the start of the season, and in a covid season with no fans (that i am absolutely certain he draws energy from), no less. I’m not sure that focus/concentration is something that you typically lose at 33 years old though. If I’m Bergevin right now, honestly, Carey Price is the last thing I’d be too cerner about. Carey and Waite should be able to nip this in the bud in pretty short order.

No you don’t really lose focus at 33, I’m more talking about the situation. Teams not great, he’s getting older. He pressing a little and hasn’t started fantastic. All those add up. But yes, I wouldn’t be too concerned yet with 31
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Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:52 p.m.
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Quoting: Howisjulienstillhere
I play goalie (not elite but I understand the position) things that I’ve noticed from price are he is still incredibly athletic, he’s made several great saves every night including against Ottawa last night. He seems to be giving up some **** goals, which i believe is mental. Pure athleticism will allow you to make the amazing saves but the mental game is we’re some bad goals go in. Last year he had stretches of poor play and others of incredible play. He then saw an opportunity in front of him when they expanded the playoffs and the Habs qualified. He was mentally sharp. Not saying this new coach will fix him, but a new situation along with some wins and good play from him might ‘flip a switch’ and help him mentally. I think he can still be a high end goalie, especially if the team plays better in front of him


facts

and ur gonna have to switch ur username now lol
Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:56 p.m.
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Quoting: lebronisdagoat
facts

and ur gonna have to switch ur username now lol

Can’t. Just switched it and you can only change once a year
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Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:56 p.m.
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Quoting: Wreckless
There are no guarantees, but the question is what is the reasoning to base the theory of his decline upon? I don’t see it. My money’s on Price.


Playing well for 10 games after a 4.5-month break will certainly outweigh 3-4 years of average play. Wait...no. Why would he get bounce back/return to his 2014 form, especially at this age? There's a case for both sides.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 7:57 p.m.
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Quoting: Howisjulienstillhere
Can’t. Just switched it and you can only change once a year


tuffff
Feb. 24, 2021 at 8:06 p.m.
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Edited Feb. 24, 2021 at 8:12 p.m.
Quoting: bhavikp27
Playing well for 10 games after a 4.5-month break will certainly outweigh 3-4 years of average play. Wait...no. Why would he get bounce back/return to his 2014 form, especially at this age? There's a case for both sides.


“3-4 years of average play” is where you an I (and also the NHL players who vote on this every year) diverge. But then again, you’re a Bruins fan, so we’re supposed to diverge.

Not that it’s impossible to be objective...for example, Patrice Bergeron has been one of my favourite players in the league for a long time. But from experience, I’ve found many Bruins fans (and Habs fans as well for that matter) lack the ability to be objective about the star players of their direct rivals.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 8:18 p.m.
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Quoting: Wreckless
“3-4 years of average play” is where you an I (and also the NHL players who vote on this every year) diverge. But then again, you’re a Bruins fan, so we’re supposed to diverge.

Not that it’s impossible to be objective...for example, Patrice Bergeron has been one of my favourite players in the league for a long time. But from experience, I’ve found many Bruins fans (and Habs fans as well for that matter) lack the ability to be objective about the star players of their direct rivals.


I don't care about Price or the Canadiens. Price was the best goalie in the league in 2015 and I can perfectly admit that.

"“3-4 years of average play” is where you an I (and also the NHL players who vote on this every year) diverge" I don't really know how you can prove the opposite and same for the players. It's all reputation. Literally anyone can vote for a guy, it's about being able to back up what you say with facts. Eye test or basic/advanced stats or analytics, Price's been average but alright, we'll just agree to disagree.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 8:31 p.m.
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Quoting: bhavikp27
I don't care about Price or the Canadiens. Price was the best goalie in the league in 2015 and I can perfectly admit that.

"“3-4 years of average play” is where you an I (and also the NHL players who vote on this every year) diverge" I don't really know how you can prove the opposite and same for the players. It's all reputation. Literally anyone can vote for a guy, it's about being able to back up what you say with facts. Eye test or basic/advanced stats or analytics, Price's been average but alright, we'll just agree to disagree.


2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2018-2019: not much we need to say. Elite.
2017-2018 stats dropped off, what happened that season? Weber out most of the year. Petry was a -30. The rest of our top 6 in games played: Alzner, Benn, Mete, Schlemko, and Morrow. Enough said.
Last year Price was, again, elite. Especially when it counted most, in the playoffs.

Rumours of Price’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Does he need to play better? Yes. Do we have reason to believe he won’t? Not any good ones that I can see.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 8:41 p.m.
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Quoting: Wreckless
2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2018-2019: not much we need to say. Elite.
Last year Price was, again, elite.


How?
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Feb. 24, 2021 at 8:48 p.m.
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Feel free to disagree. I’m not particularly interested in conversing with someone who doesn’t watch most of Price’s games about whether or not Price is elite.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 9:17 p.m.
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Feel free to disagree. I’m not particularly interested in conversing with someone who doesn’t watch most of Price’s games about whether or not Price is elite.


You tell me he's elite without providing any justification.
Feb. 24, 2021 at 9:25 p.m.
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Quoting: lebronisdagoat
tuffff


I’m pretty sure he was howisBergevinstillthere but changed it to Julien recently.

Also I think Price will never reach peak Price level again but he can come close to it and that combined with hopefully better play should get us a 2 or 3 finish
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Feb. 24, 2021 at 9:33 p.m.
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Quoting: A_Habs_fan
I’m pretty sure he was howisBergevinstillthere but changed it to Julien recently.

Also I think Price will never reach peak Price level again but he can come close to it and that combined with hopefully better play should get us a 2 or 3 finish


I’m with you, although I’m not ruling out the possibility of a career season next year if he gets to play in front of this specific D corps (or better):

Romanov Weber
Edmundson Petry
Chiarot Fleury

Enough of this Mete nonsense already.

I agree re: 2 or 3. For me, it’s all about being max ready come playoff time. Better to go through adversity early in the season rather than late (assuming we’re able to get out of it).
 
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