Carey Price, Jaroslav Halak: Goaltending Duos Have Worked in the Past—And Now?

Taken fifth overall in the "Sidney Crosby" draft of 2005, Carey Price has been the face of the goaltending future for the Montreal. The club has staked its future in Price.

Taken 271st overall in the "Alexander Ovechkin" draft of 2003, Jaroslav Halak has been a solid goaltending prospect within the organization. The club believes they have great depth with Halak.

Price and Halak have become Montreal's top goaltending prospects, the likes of which the club has not had since both Jose Theodore and Tomas Vokoun were highly touted prospects within the organization.

With the recent struggles of Price, it has been stated many times within the Bleacher Report community that perhaps he is overrated—that he has been partying too much.

It has also been rumored that perhaps his injury was more severe that he let on, or that his new red pads, worn since he returned from injury, were affecting his play.

Whatever the case may be, for now, Halak has been playing above and beyond expectations, and that is not a bad thing; for the Montreal Canadiens or Price.

Looking Back: How History Can Solve Montreal's Current Dilemma

Price, who has been referred to as "Jesus Price" by some, has been christened Montreal's next saviour by the media and fans alike.

Although this can be fairly warranted by his play during the 2006-07 World Junior Championships and the Hamilton Bulldogs' Calder Cup run of 2007 as well as his play during the 2007-08 NHL regular season, something was a miss during the Canadiens' playoff run.

Although it could be suggested that Price has perhaps played too much hockey in the last two seasons, it would be unfair at this point to call him overrated, or even washed up. Mike Toth even stated on sportsnet.ca that Price could perhaps be the next Jim Carey.

As a student of history, and an aspiring history teacher, I have learned that we can take a look at the future by looking at the past, and Montreal's current goaltending solution could be solved by one easy solution: a goaltending tandem.

Although it has never been stated by either Bob Gainey or Guy Carbonneau, it has always been assumed that Price is the Montreal Canadiens starting goaltender, with Halak as his backup.

This is an acceptable situation, with logic being that a goaltender as young as Price may need a moral boost to play to his potential. This logic worked through December 2008.

Although there are some teams that use the same goaltender on a consistent basis, Montreal can clearly not be one of them, and it shows throughout the last three decades. Gainey and Carbonneau only have to reflect on their past careers to potentially solve any goaltenidng controversies that may arise in Montreal in the near future.

The Last Glory Years

Once Ken Dryden came back from his year-long hold out during the 1974-75 season, he would start a streak—along with Bunny Larocque—as great goaltending tandems in the Canadiens history.

During the 1973-74 season, Gainey's first as a Hab, the Canadiens were missing Dryden, who was finishing his law requirements while holding out in a contract dispute. Dryden believed he deserved a boost in salary due to a Calder, Vezina, and Stanley Cup in previous seasons.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?