Hockey Hall of Fame calls up First Nation goaltender

Carey Price has racked up a lengthy list of accomplishments during his hockey career.

When asked to choose his most memorable moment from his playing days, Price, who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 9, did not pick capturing an Olympic gold medal or any of the other trophies he was presented.

“I had a lot of great moments throughout my career,” Price said on Nov. 7 at the Toronto-based hall of fame after he received his induction ring at a ceremony. 

“I think the thing that I'm most proud of is having perseverance to be able to play for 15 years. I was very proud of that.”

Price, a member of Ulkatcho First Nation in British Columbia, had been selected in the first round, fifth over-all, at the 2005 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens.

He made his NHL debut in 2007. Price went on to play 712 games with the Canadiens. And he still holds the club record for 361 career wins.

“I really felt like I was wanted there,” Price said of his time donning a Montreal jersey. “So, I never really felt like I needed to go anywhere else.”

Besides becoming a fan favourite in Montreal, Price also became an inspiration for Indigenous people everywhere.

“It means a lot for me. Obviously I’m very proud of where I come from and who I am and very thankful for the opportunity to have been able to represent my community,” he said.

Price believes his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame can be inspirational for other young Indigenous athletes.

“I just think that it's important that you be proud of yourself and your heritage and have goals and give everything you have to achieve them,” he said.

Though he last played in the NHL in 2022, Price said he continues to receive plenty of compliments from youth who tell him they look up to him and that they have tried to emulate his game.

“To be honest, I just tried to keep things as simple as possible,” he said. “This is something that I always tried to do ever since I was a young kid.”

Price followed in the footsteps of his father Jerry and became a hockey goalie. The elder Price had been selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1978 draft but never played an NHL game. He did, however, suit up for various minor pro squads in a few different leagues.

“My dad was a goaltender, so obviously I looked up to him a lot as a kid,” Price said. “And I still remember trying to score on him in the backyard and he wouldn't let me.”

Price, who now lives in Kamloops, B.C., said this is the same type of thinking he takes with his three young children.

Price said he wants to be remembered for being a down-to-earth person.

“I've always tried to have positive interactions with fans throughout my career because I obviously appreciate the support,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’m human like everyone else.”

And he’s thrilled he was able to play in the world’s premier hockey circuit.

“I'm just extremely thankful for that journey and everything that I learned along the way, not only in hockey but in life and all the support that I got throughout all those years,” he said.

Price is one of six inductees in the 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame class.

Another inductee, via the Builder category, is Brian Burke. He was reluctant to answer exactly where he would rate Price among the league’s best netminders of all time.

“I'd leave that to someone who knows more about goaltenders,” Burke said. “All I know is I didn't draft him when he was in his draft year.”

At the time, Burke was the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks selected forward Bobby Ryan with their Number 2 pick over-all, three selections before the Canadiens drafted Price.

“Bobby Ryan was a good player for us,” Burke said. “He's a great kid. But I wish I'd taken Carey Price. I’d look a lot smarter.”

Burke also praised his fellow hall of fame inductee for his on-ice demeanor. 

“What I loved about Carey Price was not all the wins but how calm he was,” Burke said. “He never got flustered. You could give up 50 shots on net, 10 in a row, real high-danger chances. His composure, his refusal to get flustered, was legendary for me. Unbelievable. Best I've ever seen.”

Former Boston Bruins’ captain Patrice Bergeron, who spent 19 years in the NHL (all with Boston), is another hall of fame inductee this year.

Bergeron said Price had an amazing career.

“Winningest goalie in Canadiens’ history, which is an Original Six (team),” he said of Price. “That is very, very impressive when you do think about all the goalies that have been a part of the organization as well.”

Bergeron said he expected a tough match every time his teams squared off against Price.

“I feel like he always gave his team a chance to win every time he stepped on the ice,” he said.

“You knew your hands were full and he wasn't going to give you any sort of gifts. And you had to fight for every goal that you got.”

Price himself is pleased how he was able to successfully focus in pressure-packed situations.

“Hockey is a fast-paced, high tension sport in general,” he said.  “And I think something that I'm proud of is being able to bounce back from what I felt like or what everybody felt like was a sub-par performance. I always felt like I was able to regroup and start focusing on how am I going to get better and how am I going to improve. So, I'm really proud of being able to do that for that long.”

The three other players inducted into the hall of fame this year are Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Cindy Curley.