Will he come back? Won’t he come back? The question that we will ask ourselves all summer risks leaving several members of the organization of the Canadian in the fog. Starting with Kent Hughes, whose uncertainty about his goalkeeper will prevent him from having a clear idea of the plan to set in motion for the next season.
• Read also: A possible end for Carey Price
• Read also: Canadian report: Hughes cannot confirm the return of St-Louis
We must not forget that the athlete who will be 35 years old in August comes with a contract whose imprint on the payroll is $10.5 million for each of the next four seasons.
“Obviously that complicates things a lot. If the situation was black or white, it would be easier,” agreed the general manager of the Canadiens during his end-of-season review.
Photo QMI Agency, Joël Lemay
Until the situation clears up, the management of the Habs has no choice but to hope that the summer rest will allow Price to return to the top of his game. But no question of forcing things.
“On the medical side, if he is not ready to play, we will not play him. Carey has done everything to come back this year. We allowed him to do his best to return to the game instead of being told that the season was over and that it was better not to take any risks,” said the former agent.
A return to the game that he deemed necessary in order, precisely, to assess the state of his knee. Price went there for a rigorous test by getting five starts in two weeks, including the first four in a nine-day interval.
“We don’t think there was a risk of playing him,” Hughes said of the game against the Panthers. We wanted to see how his knee would react. Now can his knee get back to the level that will allow him to play a full season? We don’t have the answer yet. »
Allen stands by
Price’s future will also affect the status of Jake Allen, who himself has struggled with several injuries over the season. Acquired from the St. Louis Blues to support Price in September 2020, Allen has since found himself in the Canadiens’ net twice as often as him (64 games against 30).
That’s why the former Montreal Junior doesn’t worry too much about the mandate that could come to him.
“Yes, there is uncertainty, but it was the same this year. I was expecting above all to be the auxiliary goalkeeper. Whether it’s 20 games or 50 games, my preparation will be the same,” Allen said.
Moreover, the New Brunswicker would not bet against a return of Price in great shape.
“With everything he’s been through this year, I wouldn’t bet against him returning to the game and becoming the good old Carey we know again,” he insisted. Seeing all the work he was doing in the gym and on the ice, I had no doubt he was going to come back this season. I have immense respect for him and want to see him again with this jersey on his back. It’s his net, it belongs to him. »
longtime friends
In the Canadiens locker room, there is no one who has spent more time with the Canadiens’ 1st round pick in 2005 than Brendan Gallagher. They are the two players with the most seniority in the Habs. Seeing his teammate going through so many pitfalls broke his heart.
“At times, it was difficult to see him put in so much effort and then see him experience setbacks,” Gallagher said. I am so grateful to have spent the last 10 years with him. I hope there will be others. I wish him the best. He has done so much for this team. »
Jeff Petry, whose future is also uncertain with the Canadiens, has witnessed all the efforts Price put forth in hopes of returning to the game with the good and bad times that entailed.
“We don’t know the future. He’s worked so hard this year to prepare mentally and physically for his comeback. It certainly didn’t go the way he would have liked, the defender said. At least yesterday he was able to live a special moment. Obviously, we would all like to see it again, but the question mark remains unanswered. »
MARTIN ALARIE / QMI AGENCY
And it is likely to remain so for a few months.