Price set huge example on, off ice en route to Hockey Hall of Fame, Subban says

P.K. Subban stands sixth on the all-time games list of those who were teammates of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price -- 341 games played together, 415 with Price dressed as a backup. But it’s unlikely that anyone knows the goalie better, the two men having shared much more than the CH crest. High-profile stars who carried almost similar expectations of demanding Canadiens fans, Subban and Price celebrated victories with their crowd-engaging, triple-low-five glove-slapping routine, thousands of fans wearing their name-plated jerseys. Subban attended the wedding of his friend off the ice in 2013, and a decade later, his retirement party. He had a front-row seat at the 2014 Sochi Olympics with Team Canada, witnessing the goalie’s brilliant performance that anchored the country’s gold-medal victory. With Subban's typical energy and enthusiasm, the ESPN analyst jumped at the chance to share his unique personal view of his friend “Pricey,” who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, in this special testimonial for NHL.com:
 
Pricey was a game-breaker and a difference-maker. There are a lot of guys in the Hockey Hall of Fame who have won the Stanley Cup, who have won a lot of different accolades. To me, the definition of being a Hall of Famer is this: How valuable were you to your team? In Pricey’s most competitive years, he was a huge part of, if not the main reason why those teams had success. In my opinion, that’s a big part of what the Hall of Fame represents. There’s no question that he’s very much deserving of induction based on what he accomplished and the level of respect he has.

Carey Price and P.K. Subban celebrate with their ritual “triple-low-five” handshake following a win against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place on Nov. 4, 2011.

Everybody who walked through the doors of Bell Centre or the practice rink loved Pricey. He was the easiest person to talk to, to get along with. I don’t want to say that he’s basic because he’s not basic. The image of him being on a farm, riding a horse, that’s all real. But the other side of him is the one that connects with people from so many different walks of life. He and I could sit and talk about his ranch, about where he hunts and fishes. But we could also talk about our love of hip-hop music. He loves that music and culture. And that’s just one example.

It didn’t matter who you were, you would connect with Pricey. That’s a special quality to have. Not everybody has that quality in life, let alone in just a locker room or in a sport.

A lot of that comes from Pricey’s mom, Lynda, how strong of a woman she is, and from his father, Jerry. Meet his sister, Kayla, and she’s the same way. Super laid back, the most quality people that you can find. These are not superficial people, these are not people who need a whole lot, but they’re the best people to be around. You’ll have the best time with all of them.

Goalie Carey Price and defenseman P.K. Subban during a pause in action during a 2011 game at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

It’s very difficult to see people like that go through hard times, or not fully get what you think they deserve, but it’s also what allows Pricey, I think, to live his life with his head up regardless of how he feels about anything in his career.

For me, the Hall of Fame is about life after hockey, too -- being an example to the players coming into the game, what’s there for you if you really want it. You can have a great career, you can win a multitude of awards, you can play for your country, you can represent at the All-Star Game, you can be the face of a franchise and then retire and have an amazing life with family and kids and have the respect of your peers. Pricey is a perfect example of that.

We all remember watching TSN when he was drafted (No. 5 in 2005), with the frosted tips in his hair and the suit, watching Pricey walk up there, then watching him go through a roller coaster of a career in Montreal. I can tell you that in my time I don’t know a guy who had to endure as much attention as he did. That’s what pulls us closer together. When I got there, it was sort of shared, right? The cameras and microphones weren’t just in front of his face, they were in front of mine, too. There was that connection: We were both invested in the same thing -- winning.

P.K. Subban gives goalie Carey Price a playful face wash after the Canadiens had defeated the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 2, 2015, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Price’s 200th NHL win coming in his 400th game.

Competitive? I’ve seen him break his stick into 20 million pieces over the crossbar, smash it against the wall in the dressing room because of his competitive nature and drive. That’s something fans didn’t get to see a whole lot of during his career. He always wanted to hold it together as a leader of the team.

I loved when he got fired up and broke his stick and did that (stuff). To me, that’s the energy and fire that’s in him. That’s why he performed the way he did. You saw him giggling, the shoulder shrugs, the wink … but he was as much of a competitor as anybody, man. I’ve seen him get rattled.

As lovely as Pricey was on the ice in that jersey, entertaining every fan, he was just as lovely off the ice to everybody -- the trainers, the players, people he interacted with around the city. When I think of being a Montreal Canadien, I think of (late legendary captain) Jean Beliveau, who was a gentleman. Pricey was a gentleman, too, to everyone. I have never seen him be mean to a person. Never seen it happen. He should be celebrated that way because that’s who he is.

Carey Price and P.K. Subban during a Bell Centre pregame ceremony on Feb. 26, 2014, honoring Canada's 2014 Sochi Olympic gold medalists.

I don’t think the Canadiens will see a goaltender who will be talked about more than Carey Price until someone wins a Stanley Cup in that city. And even then, it may not happen. To come into the NHL the way he did, to be in the net at that young age, to go through everything that as a young professional he went through, to be under the microscope in Montreal?

Nobody -- nobody who reads this -- would be prepared to deal with that. They have no idea what it’s like to be in that position. He handled all that stuff and he performed. To me, that’s remarkable. That’s more of a testament to who he is as a person than even hoisting the Stanley Cup, to a certain degree.

Professional sports is about overcoming. I don’t know how many players are prepared mentally to overcome what he had to overcome, what he had to do under the pressure and microscope of being a young goaltender in Montreal.

Former Canadiens teammates Carey Price and P. K. Subban leave the Bell Centre ice on Jan. 12, 2023, after Subban was celebrated in a homecoming ceremony.

If you’re a real fan, you know the pressure the players face. You know how he handled it, how he performed, how he entertained you. You know the performances he gave you because I watched them, too. Pricey was box office every single time he was in the net. Even when he didn’t play well, everybody still watched. You knew he might find a way. You knew he was going to bounce back. That’s a Hall of Famer.

For us as athletes, as our careers go on and they finish, it’s tough to find a balance. That’s why, going into his retirement, seeing him with his family … it’s been awesome. To go from the extreme of being that high of a talent and competitor to finding that balance in your everyday family life, he’s truly found that and that’s an amazing thing.

Will induction change him? Of course not. That’s what makes me so happy for him. He’s going to be able to spend the rest of his life enjoying it. I’m very grateful for that. There are many athletes who aren’t even around to see their name go into the Hall. He’s very fortunate to be able to celebrate that with his kids, his wife, family, for the rest of his life. That’s the ultimate bow on Pricey’s hockey career and everything he’s given to the sport.

Top photo: Carey Price and P.K. Subban during the NHL SuperSkills competition, part of 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.