Price hoping to return to Canadiens 'pretty soon'
Goalie had to restart rehab Jan. 17 on surgically repaired knee
"Yeah, it's definitely an objective for me this season," Price said Sunday. "You know, it's always been my goal, ever since I got back here. Obviously, I've had a couple of setbacks that weren't foreseen. It's been a frustrating process, no doubt, but at the end of the day, I've got to take care of it. And, you know, moving forward, I'm starting to skate again, so hopefully I'll keep on progressing and be able to get back into uniform pretty soon."
The 34-year-old goalie hasn't played this season after having knee surgery July 23. The Canadiens said he would need 10-12 weeks to recover but then announced Jan. 17 that Price would have to restart his rehabilitation without a timetable to return.
It was another setback for Price, who had been making slow progress until Montreal paused activities earlier in January as a COVID-19 preventative measure, during which time he contracted the virus.
However, Price was able to skate in full equipment for the first time since mid-December on Saturday, and he said what happens "over the next couple of weeks" will determine his ability to play this season.
"I'm obviously a little bit anxious myself to find out some answers. So, I don't have them right now, but we'll find out soon enough," Price said. "It's going to be interesting to see how my knee responds. I'm hoping for the best.
"I obviously want this to go well, and you know, if I have another setback, I'm just going to start over again. That's the only option that I have."
When asked whether he had concerns about if he could return to top form, Price admitted he wasn't sure.
"It's crossed my mind," he said. "You know, when you go through an injury like this and you've had setbacks, which I've had them before, you know, there's always going to be a little bit of doubt. That's just a fact of being injured. You're an athlete performing at an apex level. You're always going to wonder if you're going to be the same player when you come back. But you know, we have such an amazing training staff here that they give you the best odds of coming back to your full capability.
"So, I'm just going to trust in the process, and hopefully that when I get back on the ice with the guys, that will be right back to where I was at."
Sunday was the first time Price has spoken with the media since he released a statement Nov. 9 after participating in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for substance use. Price said the decision to enter the program was difficult, but that it was necessary for him to get out of what he described in the statement as "a very dark place."
"I was in a position where I definitely needed to reach out, and it was a trying time for sure," Price said. "But at the end of the day, it was one that I knew had to be made, and ultimately, it was one that was successful, and I'm very thankful for the help that I got.
"I'm tremendously grateful for all the support that I've received from not only the fans, but the Montreal Canadiens themselves, my teammates, and obviously my family. I've had quite the journey, obviously, since the start of the season, and it would have been a lot more difficult if I hadn't had such a warm sense of encouragement from everyone."
Last season, Price was 13-9 with a 2.28 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and one shutout in 22 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when he helped the Canadiens advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since winning the Cup in 1993. They lost the best-of-7 series in five games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
But the Canadiens (8-29-7) haven't been able to replicate that success this season. They are last in the NHL standings and have lost 12 of their past 13 games (1-8-4).
"I know it's been a frustrating time for everybody," Price said. "It's been one for me as well. And you know, it's been a long year, and I know there's a lot of frustrations out there, but everybody out here is trying their hardest, everybody's putting the work and doing their best.
"So know for me personally, it's been a long stretch. It's been hard to be out watching your teammates, especially not having success."
Selected by the Canadiens with the No. 5 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, Price is 360-257-79 with a 2.50 GAA, .917 save percentage and 49 shutouts in 707 regular-season NHL games (695 starts). He has the most wins in their history and is second among active NHL goalies behind Marc-Andre Fleury of the Chicago Blackhawks (506).
"It's a big part of my identity for one, being a goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens has been my life for over a decade," Price said. "Obviously, ending the season on such a disappointing note last year, I just want to be able to get back in there and just continue playing. And to be able to put that sweater on again is something that, you know, is keeping me motivated at this point."
NHL.com independent correspondent Sean Farrell contributed to this report
