Price hopes to turn heads at training camp
Apr 21, 2006 17:09:26 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2006 17:09:26 GMT -5
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Junior goalie prospect Carey Price hopes to make an impression on Canadiens brass in the fall, when he attends the club's training camp.
"I thought I had a pretty good camp in Montreal to start off last year," said Price, selected fifth overall by the Canadiens at the 2005 NHL entry draft.
"I had a lot of fun while I was there," Price added in a telephone interview from his home in Williams Lake, B.C. "I learned a lot, like how hard I'm going to have to work this summer and what to expect coming back and just how to approach everything.
"I know, for one, that I have to be in the best shape of my life. It's also nice to have a better relationship with goaltender coach Rollie Melanson, knowing him a bit better now. But coming back this year, there will be two new goalies that I haven't met before. Cristobal Huet wasn't at camp when I was there because he was hurt. And I haven't met David Aebischer yet."
"When I was there last year, Jose Theodore treated me very well. He taught me a lot. It was nice to have him around."
Price expects to play at least one more year of junior for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League.
"Technically, I have two years left. But after my 19-year-old season, I can move on to the (Habs' American Hockey League affiliate) Hamilton Bulldogs," he said.
Price's Tri-City team finished fourth in the regular season and then lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Everett Silvertips.
"It was more of a rebuilding year," said Price, who posted a 2.87 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in league play, and was 21-25-6 with three shutouts. "We were a pretty young team, but we did better than expected. I thought I had a better year the year before."
Price, who posted a 24-31-8 record in 2004-05 with eight shutouts, a 2.34 GAA and .920 save percentage, knows he will have to be patient.
"In general, it takes goalies a lot longer to develop into NHL material," he said. "There are some exceptions, like Dan Blackburn, who went straight to New York (Rangers), and Marc-Andre Fleury, who went straight to Pittsburgh. Fleury got bounced around a bit, but he did make that jump the first part of his first year. I also think Fleury learned a lot playing in the AHL. If that's what it takes, that's what I'll do, too."
Price also is learning to deal with the pressure of being a Canadiens' first-round pick.
"In general, if you're picked in the first round, there's going to be pressure on you no matter where you go," he said. "You're picked to be a franchise player some day.
"I'm only 18. I'll be 19 in August. I still have a lot of maturing to do yet. That comes with any position, especially with goaltending. You can't rush it."
The Canadiens sent Melanson west to keep tabs on their first-round pick this season.
"Rollie came to watch three games, and I played really well those games," Price said.
When he's not training this summer, Price will work at the Williams Lake golf club.
"Just washing clubs and picking up balls at the driving range," said Price, who sports a 4-handicap. "There's also a free membership."
jmeagher@thegazette.canwest.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006
Junior goalie prospect Carey Price hopes to make an impression on Canadiens brass in the fall, when he attends the club's training camp.
"I thought I had a pretty good camp in Montreal to start off last year," said Price, selected fifth overall by the Canadiens at the 2005 NHL entry draft.
"I had a lot of fun while I was there," Price added in a telephone interview from his home in Williams Lake, B.C. "I learned a lot, like how hard I'm going to have to work this summer and what to expect coming back and just how to approach everything.
"I know, for one, that I have to be in the best shape of my life. It's also nice to have a better relationship with goaltender coach Rollie Melanson, knowing him a bit better now. But coming back this year, there will be two new goalies that I haven't met before. Cristobal Huet wasn't at camp when I was there because he was hurt. And I haven't met David Aebischer yet."
"When I was there last year, Jose Theodore treated me very well. He taught me a lot. It was nice to have him around."
Price expects to play at least one more year of junior for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League.
"Technically, I have two years left. But after my 19-year-old season, I can move on to the (Habs' American Hockey League affiliate) Hamilton Bulldogs," he said.
Price's Tri-City team finished fourth in the regular season and then lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Everett Silvertips.
"It was more of a rebuilding year," said Price, who posted a 2.87 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in league play, and was 21-25-6 with three shutouts. "We were a pretty young team, but we did better than expected. I thought I had a better year the year before."
Price, who posted a 24-31-8 record in 2004-05 with eight shutouts, a 2.34 GAA and .920 save percentage, knows he will have to be patient.
"In general, it takes goalies a lot longer to develop into NHL material," he said. "There are some exceptions, like Dan Blackburn, who went straight to New York (Rangers), and Marc-Andre Fleury, who went straight to Pittsburgh. Fleury got bounced around a bit, but he did make that jump the first part of his first year. I also think Fleury learned a lot playing in the AHL. If that's what it takes, that's what I'll do, too."
Price also is learning to deal with the pressure of being a Canadiens' first-round pick.
"In general, if you're picked in the first round, there's going to be pressure on you no matter where you go," he said. "You're picked to be a franchise player some day.
"I'm only 18. I'll be 19 in August. I still have a lot of maturing to do yet. That comes with any position, especially with goaltending. You can't rush it."
The Canadiens sent Melanson west to keep tabs on their first-round pick this season.
"Rollie came to watch three games, and I played really well those games," Price said.
When he's not training this summer, Price will work at the Williams Lake golf club.
"Just washing clubs and picking up balls at the driving range," said Price, who sports a 4-handicap. "There's also a free membership."
jmeagher@thegazette.canwest.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006
