NASHVILLE | Goalkeeper Quentin Miller idolized Carey Price as a child. Selected in the fourth round of repechage by the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, he’s aiming to do what his role model failed to do: get back the 25e Stanley Cup in the Metropolis.
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The Quebec Remparts goalie was not in Nashville as he was unsure if he would be selected. So he followed the selection session from his living room with his family.
“The Canadian is the team I’ve been watching since I was a kid. Carey Price made me a goalie. It is an incredible honor to be part of this organization. I watched all their games when I was young and it feels strange to think that I became a member of their organization.
When asked why Carey Price encouraged him to become a guard, Miller laughs and changes his mind.
“In fact, I started goalkeeping at grassroots because of my two older brothers. We were still playing mini hockey and they sent me to the net because I was the youngest. As a result, Carey Price became my role model because he’s calm, confident, and athletic. So I started because of my brothers, but it was Price who pushed me to persevere.
Be part of the solution
The Canadiens replenished their goalie tally Thursday. They first won Jacob Fowler in the third round, Miller at the end of the fourth round, and then Russia goalie Yevgeni Volokhin.
“My goal is to help the team win the Stanley Cup. Even if Price wouldn’t have done it, he’s a generational preserver, a legend. My goal is to be like him but win a trophy.
A time of learning
He wasn’t in Nashville because he wasn’t sure he’d be picked because he didn’t play many games last season. As a substitute for William Rousseau at the Remparts, he only played 20 regular-season games before watching the entire playoffs from the bench.
“I was aware that there were several factors that could work against me and I tried to keep my expectations as low as possible. I told myself that if I didn’t get drafted, it wasn’t the end.
“However, I learned a lot last season. I’ve seen what it’s like to be a pro by working with several veterans like Justin Robidas and Nathan Gaucher. The boys were strong in training! I gained a lot of experience and improved some technical points.