The NHL's Olympic exit puts an end to the Canadians' debate on Price's participation

Montreal’s star goalkeeper was on the Canadian team’s long list for Beijing, but there were doubts about recovering from his injury.

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Pat hickey • Montreal Gazette

Montreal Canadiens Carey Price makes a blocking lock during the third period of the Stanley Cup final against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Montreal on July 5, 2021. Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

The NHL’s decision on Wednesday not to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics ends the debate over whether Canadiens goalkeeper Carey Price could, or should, be part of Team Canada.

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Price was an integral part of the team that won Canada’s gold medal the last time the NHL was represented at the Games, in Sochi in 2014.

Price was on Team Canada’s long list for the Beijing Games, but there were ongoing questions about his fitness (he’s still recovering from knee surgery over the summer and hasn’t played a game yet this season) and there were also mental health issues after You spent 30 days in the NHL-NHLPA player assistance program to help you deal with substance problems.

There were no other Canadiens players on Beijing’s radar. Coming out of the playoffs this year, defender Jeff Petry He might have had a shot at Team USA, but he’s struggled this season.

There are two former Canadians who will lose the opportunity to play in the Games. Max Pacioretty, who has 12 goals in 15 games for Las Vegas, was a block for the USA team, while Jesperi Kotkaniemi was expected to play for Finland.

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Hockey Canada is expected to send the team that represented Canada at the Channel One Cup in Moscow this month. That team was coached by Claude Julien, who was fired by the Canadiens this year. The list includes former Canadians Jordan Weal and Morgan Ellis and former prospect Daniel Audette. Another possibility is David Desharnais, who promised to play in the Spengler Cup before Canada withdrew his team.

The NHL will use the time previously allocated to the Olympic break to make up postponed games. The Canadiens have postponed four games. They are scheduled to resume play after Christmas, beginning Dec. 18 with three games in Florida and Carolina but, with the number of COVID-19 cases rising rapidly across the NHL, those games are in jeopardy.

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Also Wednesday, the American Hockey League announced that the AHL All-Star Classic 2022, scheduled for February 6-7 at Place Bell, Laval Rocket’s home court, will not take place.

“The Laval Rocket and Place Bell have done an outstanding job preparing to host our All-Star Classic festivities this year,” AHL President and CEO Scott Howson said in a statement. “But with the event only six weeks away and facing ongoing challenges related to health and safety, international travel and group meetings, the League and the Rocket organization feel that it is best for everyone to postpone the event. We remain committed to bringing the All-Star Classic to Laval. “

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