The second day of NHL free agency was a boon for hockey in Canada as one team locked up its franchise goalie and another gave its young star a new winger.
Carey Price, considered the best goaltender in the world, signed an eight-year extension with the Canadiens that means he’ll likely finish his career in Montreal. The rival Toronto Maple Leafs countered by signing Patrick Marleau to an $18.75 million, three-year contract that puts a veteran goal-scorer on Auston Matthews’ left wing.
The Canadiens and Maple Leafs haven’t met in the playoffs since 1979. Moves made Sunday put them on a much more likely crash course in the next few years.
Price’s extension , which reportedly pays him $10.5 million a year from 2018-19 through 2025-26, solidifies the most important position in the sport long term in one of the league’s most fervent markets. Price won the Hart Trophy as MVP and Vezina Trophy as the top goalie in 2014-15 and has the third-best save percentage of any active goaltender since entering the league in 2007-08.
Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin didn’t hesitate in calling Price his “franchise player.”