BROSSARD, Que. -- Goaltender Carey Price is the first Montreal Canadiens player of the year to be selected by the NHL team's fans.
Price was named 27,630 times during the season as fans voted for the three stars of each game online through an app offered by the Bell Centre. Tomas Plekanec was second with 11,893 and captain Brian Gionta was third with 8,862.
Previously members of the media selected the three stars.
Price is poised to set a club record with his 71st appearance of the season when Montreal hosts Chicago on Tuesday night. He is tied with Gerry McNeil, who played 70 games in 1950-51 and 1951-52, and Jacques Plante, who did it in 1961-62.
The Canadiens also announced the local media selected defenceman Roman Hamrlik as the club's unsung hero.
His usual defence partner, Jaroslav Spacek, practised Monday but is not expected to play until Thursday against Ottawa. Spacek has missed 22 games with a knee injury.
Forward Travis Moen missed practice due to an unspecified illness.
