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Carey Price had long known his days in the NHL were numbered, but the Montreal Canadiens goaltender confirmed Tuesday that his career in the league is likely over due to a nagging knee injury.
“Barring a miracle,” Price said Tuesday, according to TSN. “I’m still under contract and I still hold on hope to the fact that maybe I could play again, but the probabilities are falling by the month.”
After leading the Canadiens to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final—where they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning—during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign, Price underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee.
The 36-year-old returned to the Montreal lineup in April 2022 and appeared in just five games for the Habs to close out the 2021-22 season, posting a 1-4-0 record, 3.63 goals-against average and .878 save percentage.
Price missed the entire 2022-23 season and hasn’t played since April 29, 2022.
Price admitted Tuesday that while he is recovered enough to live comfortably, his knee isn’t able to handle the demands of a full NHL season, per Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette:
“Honestly, on a day-to-day basis it feels really good. I come here towards the start of training camp and I feel like I can still go out there and wreak havoc. Honestly, on a day-to-day basis I feel really good. But when I do certain things on a consistent basis it’s a very solid reminder that my knee’s not in a position to take the brunt of a full season’s workload. I still get a tremendous amount of swelling in it. For short periods of time I can do things that are strenuous.”The honest thing is right now, it’s just not going to happen to take the stress of the goaltending position — it’s not where it needs to be. So for now I’m just going to continue to try and rehab my knee to a position where it’s fit for life in general.”
Price is under contract with the Canadiens for three more seasons at $10.5 million per year. He’ll likely spend the remainder of the deal on long-term injured reserve.
The Canadiens selected Price with the fifth overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was once considered one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, winning the Vezina and Hart trophies in 2014-15 after posting a 44-16-6 record, 1.96 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in 66 starts.
Price is one of two goaltenders since 2000 to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, joining former Canadiens netminder José Théodore, who won it in 2001-02.
Price, who has spent his entire career with the Canadiens, has established franchise records in games played (712) and wins (361). He has posted a 361-261-79 record with 49 shutouts, a 2.51 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in 15 seasons.
The Canadiens will enter the 2023-24 season Jake Allen, Casey DeSmith and Sam Montembeault as the goaltenders on the roster.
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