Montreal Canadiens' goaltender Carey Price, left, talks with fellow goaltender Nathan Lawson during second period pre-season NHL hockey action against the Dallas Stars in Montreal Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011.Graham Hughes
It's heady stuff for a kid from Anahim Lake, B.C.: Carey Price's face may soon be appearing on a billboard near you, whether you happen to live in Malmo or Moose Jaw.
The 24-year-old Habs netminder was unveiled Tuesday as the latest NHL pitchman for Under Armour athletic skivvies. It's a multi-year deal and will involve both print and broadcast advertising in hockey markets worldwide.
"It's a mutual benefit, I think, for both sides," said Price, clad in a spiffy new hoody and ballcap from his new sponsor. "But I would be wearing their stuff anyway!"
It's a rite of passage for big-time athletes - as your fame and reputation grow, so too does the stature of your sponsors.
Price joked that when he was a kid, he and his dad watched former Junior Team Canada and Calgary Flames goalie Trevor Kidd in admiration.
"Oh, wouldn't it be cool to have someone pay for your equipment," he laughed.
In addition to his new Under Armour deal (financial terms of which were not disclosed), Price is also plumping for Reebok Hockey, his new pad manufacturer.
Earlier this summer he also did a photo shoot for high-end men's clothier Harry Rosen, which he admits took him out of his comfort zone ("I get nervous around make-up").
Not bad for a guy who got his start as a spokesman for a Ford dealership in suburban Montreal.