Lost in the discussion of Jaroslav Halak's departure was the boost to Carey Price's confidence the organization's faith would be providing.
It's been discussed ad-nauseam that Pierre Gauthier's decision forced entirely too much pressure on a young man who seemed incapable of handling it.
That Price could not withstand the expectations of fans whose memories of Halak's playoff miracles were too fresh to consider his possible revival, was a foregone conclusion to some.
But what of the notion that the Canadiens would not waiver from the faith they showed in Price since the day he was drafted, and the inevitability that their approach would positively influence Price's attitude, maturation and potential for success?
Had they traded him, would another team have offered him the security of starting 14 of the first 15 games this season?
Does it not seem that the more faith the Canadiens show in him, the better he seems to perform?
Before we got into the mess that began with Price's decision to participate in the 2009 All-Star Game (the mess that grew and inspired so much controversy over the organization's decision to chose Price over Halak) did Price not enter the league and succeed under the same circumstances?
The Canadiens traded Cristobal Huet and gave the starting role to Price in February of 2008. Of the 19 games that remained on the Canadiens schedule that year, Price started all but 4 games. He went 12-3-0 with 2 shutouts (7-0-0 down the stretch of the season to help the Canadiens clinch their division, and eventually the conference).
He then posted a win in his first playoff series-- recording shutouts in both the fourth and last of seven games. He fell to Philadelphia thereafter, and came back the next season to post a 16-4-5 record before suffering an ankle injury that led him to the mess I referred to (a period of time spanning through last season that he referred to as "a curse" in this interview with Elliotte Friedman of CBC):
Post-Halak, under more pressure than he's ever faced, Price has given the Canadiens a chance to win 14 of the 14 games he's started.
Those 14 starts are a league-high (tied with Michal Neuvirth who's played as much because Semyon Varlamov's been injured, and with Martin Brodeur--because he's Martin Brodeur).
Price is tied for 1st in wins with 8. He ranks 13th in SA% at .918, 10th in GAA at 2.28, and 3rd in shutouts with 2.
He'd have needed to mature as much as his teammates began to notice at the onset of last year's playoff push in order to accomplish as much as he has thus far.
Price would have had to have spent the summer more focused than ever before; on his fitness and conditioning, his mental toughness, his general approach to practice and being a professional, and on things that come with the territory of keeping your job as a number-1 goalie in the NHL.
If Price couldn't make those adjustments there was no way he could've gotten past the royal treatment he received in the pre-season; no way he could've moved on from it as easily as he apparently has through the early parts of this season.
A fifteen-game sample isn't enough to suggest that all is well with Price and the Canadiens, but it's become clearer that organization's treatment of Price (which has fallen under such scrutiny in light of their perceived failure to insulate him by placing him with a billet family or giving him more time to develop in Hamilton) deserves as much credit for his revival.
His experiences to date have prepared him for the moment he's currently living, he admitted as much in the interview with Friedman that was taped before the season.
As far as I'm concerned, the Canadiens have done things to the benefit of Mr. Price and he's provided a show on most nights, this season. It leads me to believe that the moment Price is experiencing will extend throughout the season and eventually lead him to a career that will ultimately be defined by perseverance rather than failure.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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