Carey Price’s Hockey Hall of Fame Plaque Honours BC Indigenous Roots

Carey Price joins a select few in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but even fewer from BC reach hockey’s greatest honour. 

Inducted Monday night alongside former Vancouver Canucks architect Brian Burke, Patrice Bergeron, Keith Tkachuk, Cindy Curly, and Pekka Rinne, Price became the second BC-born goaltender inducted into the Hall, following in the footsteps of Sandon, BC’s Tiny Thompson, who was inducted in 1959. 

A native of Anahim Lake, BC and a member of the Ulkatcho First Nation, Price is also just the eighth BC-born player to enter the Hall, receiving the honour for an illustrious career that saw him post a .917 save percentage through 712 regular-season NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens, advance to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final and win Olympic gold at Sochi 2014. 

While his hockey accolades earn him Hall of Fame recognition, his plaque in the Hall of Legends in Toronto doesn’t list the teams he played for at first mention like most. Instead, it reads “A member of the Ulkatcho First Nation in B.C.,” a homage to how important his rural community and Indigenous background were to his career. 

“It’s pretty cool to have an area that you’ve represented for years,” Price told The Athletic. “I still view myself as being an Anahim Laker even if I don’t live there anymore. I just think it’s important to be proud of yourself and your heritage, and to have goals and give everything you have to achieve them.”

Indigenous Roots Formative for Price

The Indigenous roots have been a formative piece of Price’s entire career, and came into focus during the Stanley Cup run, as well as during a time when Canada’s federal government reported the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the country began to further recognize the atrocities towards Indigenous people throughout history. 

In an Instagram post in 2020, Price described his maternal grandmother as a residential school survivor who faced “social injustices” at school.

“The mistreatment and misplacement of First Nations peoples in America and Canada has echoed generations of poverty and substance abuse. These facts must also be brought to light,” the post read. “I am a firm believer in the victory of good over evil and change will come. In our house we will not see the colour of your skin but the character of your heart.”

Speaking to reporters after receiving his Hall of Fame ring Saturday as part of the extravagant Hall of Fame Weekend in Toronto, the now 39-year-old recalled the moment he found out he was going into the Hall: an affable call from the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. 

"I was on my way to go visit my grandmother at the hospital," recalled the former Montreal Canadiens goaltender. "Hockey Hall of Fame came up on my caller ID in my truck, so I was pretty excited about that. Got to spend the rest of the day with my grandmother, who made a recovery. It was a blessed day.” 

What’s Next for Carey Price?

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Price also received praise from BC’s premier-designate, Lorne Doerksen, Monday:

“From Anahim Lake to the very pinnacle of the sport, Carey has represented himself and community with humility, determination and a quest for excellence,” Doerksen tweeted. “He’s inspired countless young athletes by showing that no matter where you come from, extraordinary things are possible. This recognition belongs not only to Carey, but also to the family who supported him every step of the way.”

“As someone who is proud to represent Anahim Lake and the surrounding communities, I know this honour will be celebrated across the Cariboo and throughout British Columbia. Congratulations, Carey. Your community is proud of you, your province is proud of you, and your place in hockey history is forever secure.”

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Following his induction on Monday, where he will be joined by daughter Liv, 10, Millie, 7, Lincoln, 7 and his wife, Angela, the family will head to Montreal and the Bell Centre for Tuesday’s matchup against the Minnesota Wild. 

There, his name will be added to the top of the arena bowl in a Ring of Honour that features every other Hall of Fame player and builder with ties to the Canadiens organization. 

After the hockey world focuses on his career and the other legends entering the Hall, Price and his family will return home to Kelowna, where they have lived since he played his final NHL games in 2023.

"It was a long road to get to this point," Price added. "I'm just extremely thankful for that journey and everything that I learned along the way — not only in hockey but in life."