Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price confirmed what most thought to be the base that his playing career is over.
Price was on hand at an event at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. There he was named a brand ambassador for CFMOTO Canada off-road vehicles. During the press conference, Price was asked about his recovery and admitted this his knee was not where it needed to be for him to continue playing.
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“Most likely, barring a Miracle,” Price said during a news conference at CN Sports Complex in Brossard. “I’m still under contract. I still hold on to hope to the fact I can play again, but you know the probabilities are falling by the month.”
Though Price feels like he can still go out there as training camps begin, the reality is he can’t. He knows it because his body is telling him so.
“Honestly, on a day-to-day basis, I feel really good,” Price continued. “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.”
Price has been rehabbing his knee after tearing his meniscus during the Canadiens run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. Rehab has gone slowly. Thus his knee cannot get back to the level it needs to be for him to play that position at an NHL level.
“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,” Price added speaking with the media at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. “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 admitted that even after playing in a charity softball even this past summer, his knee was swollen for two weeks.
Carey Price has always been embraced by the Canadiens faithful. The fifth overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft knows how special Montreal is. He will never forget that run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. The city embraced the Canadiens that year.
Who knew his career would be over after the 2021-22 season? Price returned with eight games to go in the regular season. He played in five of the final eight games recording his first win in what was the final regular season game of that season and the final game of his career.
On April 29th, 2022, Price received a standing ovation from the Bell Centre crowd as the Canadiens routed the Florida Panthers 10-2. It was a storybook way to end his playing. And he even knew it at the time.
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Following the end of the 2021-22 season, Price admitted that he played the final game of the season like it was the last game of his career. Price did not play last season as his $10.5 million salary was placed on LTIR.
He has three seasons remaining at $10.5 million a season. Price will go to the Montreal Canadiens training camp where he will take his physical. After which, the Canadiens will once again place Price’s salary on LTIR again this season. General manager Kent Hughes will try to move the contract this season or even next off-season, but it will be tricky.
Price is the all-time wins leader for the Montreal Canadiens with 361. He has played in 712 career games, starting 700 of them with a 2.51 GAA and a .917 save percentage. In the playoffs, Price has played in 92 games starting 89 now of them with a 2.39 GAA and a .919 save percentage.
Price was the main reason why the Canadiens went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. And had numerous deep runs in 2014 and 2015. As the old saying goes, the Canadiens went as far as Carey Price would take them.
In addition, Price won the Vezina and Hart Trophies in 2015. With his career most likely over, he is a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame.