Canadiens G Carey Price expected to miss start of season

Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Canadiens goalie Carey Price expected to miss start of season

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 10/6/21

The 2021-22 NHL season hasn't started yet, but the Montreal Canadiens are already dealing with injuries and are prepared to start their 2021 campaign without their best player between the pipes.

Veteran goaltender Carey Price has now missed multiple days of training camp with an unidentified illness, and according to head coach Dominique Ducharme, won't be available for the season-opener on Oct. 13 against the Maple Leafs.

Dominique Ducharme says Carey Price won't be able to practise with the Canadiens before the season starts. Said they'll ease him back in once he recovers from his illness.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) October 6, 2021

Price was already absent from the start of training camp as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery.

"It's a progression, getting back on the ice, and not going down too much and building him up," Ducharme said Wednesday via SportsNet. "Starting to work with the goalie coach and then (practice) with the team and being ready to play games. He's not doing well right now, so he's going to take care of that."

Ducharme has said Price's illness isn't COVID-related, although it is concerning the team is already planning on him not being available for a while. Before going under the knife back in July, the 34-year-old netminder also waived his contract's no-movement clause so he could be exposed to being picked up by the Seattle Kraken. The move prompted speculation Price is looking to play elsewhere, despite being a key reason the Habs got to the Stanley Cup Final last season.

Price registered a 13-8-1 postseason record with a 2.28 goals-against-average and .924 save percentage as the Habs made their first Cup Final appearance since 1993. They lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

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