Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Canadiens star netminder Carey Price enters NHL player assistance program, out at least 30 days

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 10/7/21

It was learned earlier this week that Montreal Canadiens star goaltender Carey Price would miss the start of the regular season next week as he worked to recover from an unspecified non-COVID-19 illness and also offseason knee surgery.

An update on Price's status was released Thursday.

The NHL website confirmed Price, 34, voluntarily entered the NHL/NHL Players' Association player assistance program and is out indefinitely. Per the Canadian Press (h/t TSN), Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin said Price will be away for a minimum of 30 days but added: "It could be more."

Angela Price, the netminder's wife, cited mental health in a post she shared on Instagram:

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A post shared by Angela Price (@byangelaprice)

"I didn't see it coming," Bergevin said of the development. "To be upfront with you, news came to me yesterday. Yeah, it caught me off-guard, yes."

He also said that he believes "better days are ahead for Carey" following the goaltender's absence.

Price won the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top goalie, and the Hart Trophy as league Most Valuable Player for the 2014-15 season, and he was a key contributor for the 2020-21 Canadiens side that journeyed to the Stanley Cup Final. During the playoffs, Price went 13-9 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .924 save percentage with a single shutout. Montreal fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Canadiens begin their campaign next Wednesday at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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