Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will return to the team on Monday after spending 30 days in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.
Price will meet with the team’s athletic therapists and develop a plan moving forward, which might also include a stint with the Laval Rocket in the AHL.
Price entered the program on Oct. 7 and was expected to be away from the team for at least 30 days.
The 34-year-old had been away from the team during training camp dealing with what the team called a non-COVID-illness and he was already expected to miss the start of the season as a result. Jake Allen took over as the team’s starter with Sam Montembeault being picked up on waivers to be the backup.
Montreal has struggled to start the season, going 3-9-0 in their first 12 games.
Price is entering his 15th NHL season with the Canadiens and in the fourth year of an eight-year, $84 million contract. The Anahim Lake, B.C. native played a big part in the Canadiens’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, posting a .924 save percentage.
During his career, Price has appeared in six All-Star Games, won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender, as well as the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay award, in the 2014-15 season. He also led Canada to a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
