Montreal Canadiens general manager, Kent Hughes, announced recently that current goalie Carey Price is going to be placed on the long-term injured reserve list. This is a big move as it provides Habs with $10.5 million in cap space, meaning that Hughes has granted himself much more room to maneuver throughout the rest of the season.
When Was the Announcement Made?
The announcement was made on Wednesday 31st August during a press conference held at the Brossard practice facility which the Montreal team owns. The original reason for the press conference was to initially celebrate the new signing of Kirby Dach. Dach has recently signed a four-year contract with the team. During this conference, Hughes commented that it was very unlikely Price would be returning to the ice this season. What his chances are for the next season remains to be seen.
He said, “our sense is that Carey’s knee has not responded to any kind of treatment or rehab that’s been attempted since he had the surgery after he had the playoff run and we’re not very optimistic that, short of some kind of intervention, that things will change.”
Price’s Legacy
Last season, Carey Price spent pretty much all of his time trying to recover from the knee operation that he had back in summer 2021. He was only fit to play 298 minutes in 5 games towards the end of the season and they were hardly his best performances.
It will be a shame to see him go, since, despite his impressive list of accolades, Price has never been able to win the Stanley Cup. That being said, it doesn’t mean he’s going out with a bad legacy. Price has managed to make waves ever since he put on skates, winning not only the gold medal at the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, but also the 2016 World Championship and the 2007 World Junior Championship as well.
Who Will Replace Him?
At this moment, it is tough to say who might be brought in as a permanent replacement for Price (if the Habs decide to bring someone in at all). The best place to look for an idea of who the replacement might be is online sportsbooks.
Different sites have odds for near enough anything and, as such, these can be an excellent reference starting point to check who is leading the ranking. Pick one that specifically looks into hockey. Sites such as Bonus Finder will provide you with a sportsbook review and guide to let you know exactly what websites you should be looking at.
Is This It for Price and the Habs?
It is not looking as though Price will be fit for a match any time soon. This is a real shame, as he may be losing on some big winnings for his career. The team’s near future doesn’t look much better, as their odds of winning the Stanley Cup currently stand at +20,000, as so do their odds of winning the Atlantic.
Considering the Habs’ current chances of winning the Stanley Cup and Atlantic, it seems clear how much the team needs to improve, which begins with a solid replacement for Price. And although some names sound stronger than others, especially Jake Allen, Ilya Samsonov and Ville Husso, no formal decision has been made yet. The team may struggle to win any titles until they can find someone to fill Prices’ skates.