When Carey Price last took the ice for an NHL game, it was the July 7, 2021. The final game of the Canadiens’ Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, where the team fell to the Lightning in Game 5 to lose the series.
After a longer than expected rehab process, Price is set to return this season, as Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis confirmed that the 34-year-old will make his first start of the season.
Martin St-Louis confirme que Carey Price effectuera un retour au jeu contre les Islanders ce soir.
Martin St-Louis confirms that Carey Price will return to face the Islanders tonight.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/ww4lyJUiUX
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 15, 2022
The 2015 Vezina and Hart winner has been out for the entire season up to this point, dealing with a knee injury.
While the Canadiens have nothing left to play for having been eliminated from the postseason, Price’s return gives the Canadiens fans a feel-good story to end the season on. The goaltender not only was recovering from a knee injury, but entered the NHL’s player assistance program before the season, getting treatment for his substance abuse.
It’s been a tumultuous season for Price, but one that is ending with him on the ice donning the Habs jersey. With his return tonight, let’s review what has happened with Price over the last year.
MORE: NHL Rookie Ladder: Moritz Seider has pulled away from the rest of the Calder Trophy field
Carey Price timeline up to his return
Canadiens lose in Stanley Cup Finals
Playing with re-aligned divisions, the Canadiens were one of the seven teams playing in the Canada division of the 2020-21 season, which had to be altered due to COVID-19.
Montreal made the postseason as the fourth team in the division. It was expected that the team would be a first-round exit, especially after falling down 3-1 in the first series to the Maple Leafs, but the Canadiens stormed back to upset their rivals.
The team went on to defeat the Jets in the second round and upset the Golden Knights in the semifinals. The Canadiens met with the reigning Stanley Cup champions Lightning in the finals, who took down Montreal in five games to repeat as title holders.
Price was the main reason for the Canadiens’ surprise success last postseason, going 13-9-0 in 22 games with a 2.28 GAA and a .924 save percentage in the 2021 playoffs.
Price is left available for the Kraken in the expansion draft
The NHL expansion draft was held in the offseason as the Kracken joined as the league’s 32nd team.
It was known that Price was going to need surgery on his knee. So the Canadiens discussed the expansion draft with Price, who ultimately agreed to waive his no-move clause to be exposed in the draft.
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun had reported three days before the draft that Price would be seeing a doctor about his knee. Between that and Price’s hefty $10.5 million cap hit, then-Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin did not anticipate the Kraken would select Price.
Bergervin was right. The Kraken instead selected defenseman Cale Fleury, keeping Price on the Montreal roster.
Price undergoes knee surgery
On July 23, two days after the expansion draft, the team announced Price had undergone knee surgery by a doctor in New York.
The expected recovery period was 10-12 weeks and Bergevin expected Price to be ready for the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
MORE: NHL world reacts to the death of Mike Bossy, an Islanders legend and 4-time Stanley Cup champion
Before the start of the 2021-22 season, Price enters the NHL’s player assistance program
On October 7, the NHL and NHLPA announced that Price would be “away from the team while voluntarily taking part in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.”
It was expected for Price to be gone about 30 days, the minimum amount of time a player must stay in the program.
Price’s wife, Angela, posted on Instagram about her husband’s decision to go into the program.
Price leaves the player assistance program; rejoins Canadiens
On Nov. 9, Price left the player assistance program and rejoined the team.
The goaltender cited substance abuse as the reason for seeking out help. He took to social media to explain what had been happening to him for the last few years and how he finally made the decision address the issue.
Price restarts his rehab for his knee
Despite the fact that Price had begun to skate with the team in mid-November, it was announced on Jan. 17 that he would have to restart his rehab process.
The Canadiens, and the NHL, had to hit a two-week pause on the season, causing a delay in Price’s training. With the pausing of team activities, it stalled his progress.
A timetable for his return was not named.
Price begins practicing with the Canadiens
On March 18, the 34-year-old joined the team for its practices.
Carey sur la glace avec l’équipe. 🤗
Price with the group.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/FWFktnDnmX
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 19, 2022
Price had been seen doing some skating and working with Canadiens goalie coach Eric Raymond prior to the date, but this was the first time he was involved with the team.
MORE: NHL Stanley Cup playoff picture 2022: Matchups, magic numbers, draft order
After successful rehab, Price travels with the team
After many months of rehab, it was announced on April 8 that Price would travel with the team to their games in New Jersey and Toronto.
It was not expected that he would play in either game, and he did not see any action in either.
Price is set to make his 2021-22 season debut
For the first time since July 7, 2021, Carey Price will be the starting goaltender for a Canadiens game.
It’s been a long road for the veteran goalie, but he’s back. How many games he will get in during this final stretch is unknown, as Montreal only has eight games left in the season.
However, no matter the results, it’s a huge win for Price to get back on the ice after overcoming so much, both physically and mentally.