Carey Price Is Now a San Jose Shark, Wait What?

Carey Price is now, technically, a member of the San Jose Sharks. Let that sink in. The Montreal Canadiens, in a bid to exorcise the ghost of Price’s massive contract from their books, shipped the long-inactive goaltender and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Sharks. In return, they received Defenseman Gannon Laroque.

If your first reaction was, “Wait, Carey Price is still playing?”—you’re not alone. He hasn’t seen NHL ice since the 2021-22 season. But in the world of modern sports finance, a player doesn’t need to play to be a valuable asset, or in this case, a liability worth trading.

Why Did This Strange Trade Happen?

Well, simple, it’s a salary dump type move. The Montreal Canadiens have been trying to unload Price’s contract for what feels like an eternity. With years left on a deal that was once deserved but has since become an anchor, Montreal needed to find a team with enough cap space and a willingness to play accountant.

Enter the San Jose Sharks. General Manager Mike Grier, in the midst of a deep rebuild, saw an opportunity. By taking on Price’s contract, which will likely live on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), the Sharks essentially “bought” a draft pick. They sacrificed a prospect in Gannon Laroque to add another small piece to their future puzzle.

It is a classic move for a rebuilding team: weaponize your cap space. The Canadiens get the immediate financial relief they desperately craved, freeing up over $4.5 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. This is money they can now use to, you know, sign players who will actually play.

What Are the Sharks Actually Getting In Carey Price?

On paper, the Sharks are acquiring one of the most decorated goaltenders of his generation. The 38-year-old’s resume is staggering: a Hart Trophy as league MVP, a Vezina Trophy as the top goalie, a Ted Lindsay Award, and a William M. Jennings Trophy, all from his dominant 2014-15 season. He’s a seven-time All-Star who set the Canadiens’ record for wins with 361. For an entire country, he was the guy, backstopping Canada to gold medals at the Olympics and World Cup.

But let’s be blunt: the Sharks are getting the contract, not the player. Price’s career has been unofficially over due to injury for years. He will not be suiting up in teal. His name will be on the payroll, a ghost in the machine, allowing the Sharks to reach the salary cap floor. That is why some Pittsburgh Penguins fans wanted them to get Price’s contract.

A Quiet End To a Legendary Canadiens Career

For fans in Montreal, this trade closes the book on the Price era. His emotional return for a handful of games in 2022, after bravely entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, culminated in him winning the Bill Masterton Trophy for his perseverance and dedication.

That was the real ending. This trade is just the epilogue, the necessary but cold business of hockey. The Canadiens get cap flexibility and Laroque, a 22-year-old who has played a handful of AHL games. It’s a trade for the future, a final, necessary step in moving on.

So, while headlines might scream about a franchise icon being traded, the reality is far more mundane. This was a deal about dollars and cents, not saves and shutouts. Carey Price, the San Jose Shark, will be a trivia question in a few years. But Carey Price, the Montreal Canadien, will forever be a legend.