Canadiens star goaltender Carey Price visits teammates, coaches

It was learned last month that Montreal Canadiens star goaltender Carey Price would miss the start of the 2021-22 NHL season as he worked to recover from offseason knee surgery and from what was referred to at the time as a non-COVID-19 illness. Price's status changed, however, when he voluntarily entered the NHL/NHL Players' Association player assistance program on Oct. 7. 

Montreal head coach Dominique Ducharme told reporters Monday coaches and teammates would see Price on Tuesday after the 34-year-old returned to the club Sunday so training staff could examine his knee. 

"It was great to see him, he's doing well," Ducharme said of Price Tuesday, per Sean Farrell of the league's website. "For our players, we're together every day so we have a good group of players and they take care of each other. And to see a teammate come back like that, it's positive for the guys. Obviously while he was gone we had no news about him, so to see him again and to see him in a good state of mind, that's positive."

There remains no timetable for Price's return to the lineup, and Ducharme commented Monday the veteran is "many steps" away from taking the ice for a meaningful game. Per Farrell, Ducharme explained that Price must first complete workouts in the gym before he's cleared to hit the ice and work with goalie coach Eric Raymond. Once Price successfully performs those tasks, he can take part in team practices. 

Without Price, Montreal began the campaign with five straight defeats and currently sits at 3-10-0 ahead of Tuesday's home game versus the 6-5-1 Los Angeles Kings. Ducharme confirmed Price isn't traveling with the Canadiens for a road trip that begins this coming weekend. 

Price's wife cited mental health as the reason for his absence via an October Instagram post, but he hasn't yet publicly addressed why he entered the program.