Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis has confirmed that goaltender Carey Price will return to face the New York Islanders tonight. It will be Price’s first start of the season, out of action to date for multiple reasons, including a serious injury, battles with addiction, and multiple setbacks in his recovery. The long-awaited return will be a huge moment in tonight’s game.
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This will be his first start since Game 5 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final. He played well for the Canadiens who made a miraculous run but have crashed back down to earth this season, won’t make the playoffs, saw multiple players traded, and have brought in a new head coach and general manager. Price was a player that almost moved during the offseason as the Canadiens didn’t protect him during the NHL Expansion Draft, but questions about his injury status kept the Seattle Kraken from taking a chance on him.
The key for both the player and the organization here is that Price looks something like his old self. Win or lose, the Canadiens need him to return to form (or at least appear to) at some point this season to make what comes next a little clearer. Neither Price nor anyone from the Canadiens organization has a clue what the long-term plan is. If Price can’t get back to normal, it’s a huge issue. If he can, perhaps the Canadiens keep him around or talk to the veteran about a potential trade down the line.
The timing of Price’s return is ideal since the Canadiens just lost goalie Jake Allen for the season to injury. Expect it to be an emotional night with a huge ovation from the crowd there to support him, hopefully regardless of the outcome.
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