Canadiens goaltender Carey Price’s future remains uncertain

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Carey Price remains the $10.5 million question as the Canadiens prepare for the 2022-23 NHL season.

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Price was limited to five games last season after undergoing knee surgery last summer to repair a torn meniscus, followed by a 30-day stint in October in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to deal with knee problems. substance use.

Price did not make his season debut until April 5 and went 1-4-0 in the five games he played, along with a 3.63 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage.

Price prepared for the final game of the season like it was the last of his career and when asked after the game if he felt like he could play 55-60 games next season, he said: “My honest opinion is no. I don’t think the current state is sustainable for a whole season. In that sense, I have many question marks. Fortunately for me, I have plenty of time over the summer to prepare. So we’ll see.

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Price said at the time that he still had a lot of swelling in his knee and didn’t rule out the possibility of having a second knee surgery this offseason.

Instead, Price received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his knee last month and is doing everything he can to play next season. But the 34-year-old goalkeeper’s future remains in question with four seasons remaining on his eight-year, $84 million contract with an annual salary cap of $10.5 million.

The Canadiens only have $222,334 in current cap space, according to CapFriendly.comso general manager Kent Hughes has his hands tied when it comes to scouting free agents with the buying period opening Wednesday.

Hughes noted that during Price’s recovery period last season, his knee did not swell when he worked out in the gym. The problems started when he got back on the ice and started making goalie moves.

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“Part of it is resting, after the injection, to give the (PRP) injection time to have the desired effect and then come back,” Hughes said when asked about Price’s preparations for the upcoming season. “He will have a progression, I suppose, of rehabilitation and return to activity. Along the way, we’re always on the same page with him in terms of seeing how his knee responds and if there’s a particular point or exercise as he goes along that triggers the inflammation again and makes it hard for him to be fully fit. time keeper

“I guess ultimately, from our perspective, whether he’s ready to play in September, October or November is less of a concern than getting a more permanent resolution of the situation, which is: Is he capable of being a full-time goalkeeper in the National Hockey League or not? added Hughes. “And when we get that, then we have clarity.”

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Hughes is also unclear if Paul Byron will be ready for training camp.

Byron was limited to 27 games last season following offseason hip surgery. Hughes said Byron recently had an injection, but he doesn’t know if the 33-year-old forward will be ready when training camp begins in September.

Byron heads into the final season of a four-year, $13.6 million contract with a salary cap of $3.4 million.

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