When a player like Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is dominating the way he is dominating, sometimes it takes a fresh perspective from someone who isn't around him all the time to gain a true appreciation for why he's so good.
Enter Carolina Hurricanes coach Bill Peters.
"There's Carey Price, and then the rest of the conversation begins," Peters said. "It's a whole different level."
Other than watching Price make 31 saves in a 2-1 win against the Hurricanes on Nov. 24, Peters' point of reference is time spent with the goalie with Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey 2016. Price was the championship goalie, and Peters was an assistant coach.
"The best example I can give you is we were doing a drill and I needed some pucks in the corner for seconds, a box-out drill," Peters said. "I didn't have any pucks so I was caught in a bad spot. So I said, 'Pricer, I need some pucks.' Next 10 shots, rebounds all over to my side, and he goes, 'You got enough yet?' I said, 'Yeah.' So then they start going into the mesh and into the other corner.
"The save's a given. It's what he's doing with the rebounds is what he's worried about. That's the reality of it. So when I say he's here and the rest start here, no disrespect to that next group because it's elite also, but somebody's got to be the best in the world, and it's him right now."
And that illustrates why Price was a near unanimous pick for the Hart Trophy as League MVP among the 13 NHL.com writers who conducted an unofficial vote at the quarter mark of the season.
Price was named first on 12 ballots. Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele was the other player to receive a first-place vote.
Price leads the NHL in save percentage (.947), is tied with Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets for most wins (13), and is third in goals-against average (1.68). He has two shutouts and has allowed two or fewer goals in 13 of his 16 starts, including one or fewer in nine. Four of his wins have been by a 2-1 score.
Montreal is tied with the Colorado Avalanche for 24th in the League in shots on goal allowed per game (31.8), but it doesn't matter because of Price. The Canadiens have 34 points, their 16 wins tied for first in the League with the Chicago Blackhawks.
"Well, he's elite," Peters said of Price. "I don't know what he can't do. He can ride horses. He can rope cattle. He can do it all, right? I haven't seen him do anything poorly. I just think he's at a whole other level. He gives that team confidence."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Carey Price, Canadiens, 61 points; Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, 40; Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers, 32; Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning, 25; Mark Scheifele, Jets, 14; Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins, 11; Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks, 7; Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars, 2; Shea Weber, Canadiens, 2; Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings, 1.
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