While Carey Price spent 15 years playing for the Montreal Canadiens, the market isn’t saturated with his autograph. The netminder has an exclusivity deal with Frameworth Sports Marketing and didn’t stop all that often at the team’s training facility in Brossard to sign autographs for fans (unless there were kids in attendance, then he would). So when Expos Cartes Sports Montreal reached a deal to have the winningest goaltender in franchise history sign at the event, it was big news.
View the original article to see embedded media.
Die hard fans wanting to get various items from their collection were over the moon when they heard the news, but many had no idea how much they would have to pay to get the goaltender’s graph. For an autograph on a single regular item (pucks, small photos etc..) fans had to pay $130, for premium items (jersey, oversized pictures etc..) it cost $200.
For those wanting to actually meet the legend, there was a VIP package available. For $1000, two people could get to meet the goalie, get a picture with him (printed 8×10, not autographed but you had a fast pass ticket to join the fast track queue to get it signed) and get two items (one premium, one regular) autographed one of them with an inscription as an inscription ticket was part of the deal. The package also included a Frameworth 20×29 Price Expo exclusive canvas, which he would sign and an unsigned Carey Price Fanatics jersey. If fans wanted anything else signed in the meet an greet, they had to buy extra autograph tickets at the price mentioned above.
Related: Canadiens: Subban Believe Two Former Teammates Deserve The Rafters
There was also a Carey Price Expo package which included a regular and a premium autograph, an unsigned Price Fanatics jersey, one inscription ticket (to get a special mention added such as Go Habs Go, but there were restrictions, no milestone inscription was permitted) and one fast pass ticket (so you could go in the fast track line and not queue for as long a time).
Even at these prices, the event was a huge success and the fans involved were over the moon. Jean-Claude Tremblay, a lifelong Canadiens fans, who had a lot of pieces autographed (including the Price game-used Stanley Cup final jersey he wore on the picture above) was clearly having the time of his life. So was super fan and Habs cave owner Sunil Peetush who got Price’s graph on his Habscave jersey.
Sunny Peet Instagram
What put a damper on the day however was the impossibility to get masks or equipment signed by the goaltender. When tickets for the show initially went on sale, it was clearly stated masks could be autographed. However, the mention was later removed because Frameworth had an exclusivity with a company who specializes in masks for those items.
Some fans who had bought Price masks for the occasion were understandably annoyed and demanded to be reimbursed. Some were successful, while at least one never heard back from the shows’ organizers and dealt with Frameworth directly instead, which is how he did mange to get his mask autographed.
Jean-Claude Tremblay
Overall, the event was a big success, but the shows organizers would do well to double check their information new time before publishing pricing lists and selling tickets. Furthermore, those who had bought a VIP access to the event for the privilege to get in an hour before the doors of the even opened to the general public on Friday were disappointed when plenty of dealers hadn’t even set up their table by then. Collectors do not take kindly to paying extra to see empty tables.
Still, the biannual event remind the biggest card show in Montreal and the only one in town where fans can have access to that many athletes. On top of Price, Teemu Selanne, Felix Potvin, Doug Gilmour, Petr Svoboda, Cayden Primeau, Jake Evans, Logan Mailloux, Pierre Mondou, Denis Dejordy, Dennis Martinez, Ron Hassey and Ted DiBiase were also in attendance for signing sessions.
The Latest
Canadiens vs. Senators: Pre-Season Finally Over
3 Takeaways From Canadiens’ Pre-Season Finale Loss to Senators
Canadiens: My Opening Night Roster
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens’ page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens
