Kent Hughes launched a real bombshell at a press conference on Thursday. He believes that Carey Price will certainly not be ready to start the season in October. And even that he doesn’t believe he will be able to play this season. He goes so far as to express doubts about the rest of his career.
Posted at 6:20 p.m.
Updated at 6:59 p.m.
“With rehabilitation, we do not believe that Carey is able to return to the game,” said the general manager of the Canadian, as part of the press briefing initially planned to announce the exchange bringing Sean Monahan to Montreal.
Those words, the last Hughes uttered on Thursday, are fraught with meaning. They imply that a knee operation on the Montreal goalkeeper would be the only option for him to continue his career as a professional player.
“If there is a way for Carey to return to the game, I believe it requires surgery on his part. But we need more information before we can answer you. »
And precisely, as far as his knee is concerned, “the news is bad,” says Hughes. “There has been no improvement. »
“We were in a gray area for Carey, knowing if he was going to be able to play this year, he mentioned. Unfortunately, we cannot say for the moment. »
“Carey is not expected to be ready to start the season. And quite honestly, I don’t know if there is a way to see him play this year. »
He explains that his star keeper tried to do injection treatments this summer, thinking it would help. ” That was not the case. »
According to the GM, there is no doubt that Price will be on the long-term injured list. Administratively, the Canadian will therefore gain a lot of space under the salary cap, making it possible to welcome Monahan and offer contracts to his last free agents with compensation, Kirby Dach and Cayden Primeau.
A long process of returning to play
Carey Price is only 35 years old. And he still has four seasons of an expensive contract valid until 2026.
If he were to retire, his decision would be easily explained. We know how much Price has suffered over the past few years, clinging to his dream of continuing to play.
After carrying his team to the Stanley Cup final in the summer of 2021, number 31 had knee surgery. The schedule first established for his recovery suggested a return at the start of last season, in October. However, nothing happened as planned. With days to go into the campaign, Price entered the NHL’s Player Assistance Program for substance abuse.
After coming out of it a few weeks later, he resumed training with the goal of getting back into full fitness. Two regressions, however, slowed his rehabilitation, and it was not until mid-April that he finally played a match. He got four starts in nine days, ended in four losses, and he was placed on rest for a few days.
He finally got the green light and was given the 700e and what could be the last start of his career against the Florida Panthers. An evening marked by the unusual lightness of the goalkeeper, a smile on his face and surprised to greet his children at the end of the match.