Carey Price at the Temple on Saint Jean-Baptiste Day: there’s a real chance!

Dose
Crédit: Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images

One week from today, it will officially be four years since Artturi Lehkonen scored the St. Jean-Baptiste Day goal. We’re talking about the goal that sent the Habs to the Stanley Cup Final… when nobody expected them to be there.

Let’s not forget that the Habs were crowned Western champions that year. Yes, the 2021 season was weird.

And of course, at that time, Carey Price was in front of his team’s net. And that night, in fact, he was sparkling in front of his net, turning aside 37 of the 39 shots he faced.

It had been a beautiful June 24 for the goalie… and for the second time in four years, he might have a reason to celebrate St. John the Baptist Day.

The reason this time? That’s the day we’ll find out who’s been inducted into the Hall of Fame… and Price is eligible for induction this year.

In reality, Price is still an active player, as he is still under contract. He won’t announce his retirement until next summer, when his contract expires… but he’s still eligible to be inducted into the Hall as early as this year.

Remember, guys are eligible after three seasons without playing… and the last time we saw Price was in 2022.

Of course, Price isn’t necessarily guaranteed induction. That said, seeing Shea Weber inducted into the Hall last year (in his first year of eligibility) suggests that Price’s chances are pretty good.

Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton and Duncan Keith are other newcomers to the process who have a real chance of being inducted. P.K. Subban is also eligible for the first time… but it’s harder to see a world in which he’ll be one of the inductees.

So, four years after reaching the final, Price will have another chance to become immortal on June 24. And I have a feeling he won’t have too much trouble making history next Tuesday…

Overtime

– If the Habs don’t trust David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux…

– It’s true.

– What do you think?

– Who better than Roberto Luongo to wake up the crowd in Florida?

– Interesting.