It will be Price's first game since July 7, when the 34-year-old made 29 saves in a 1-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Price has missed the entire season recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery he had July 23 to repair a torn meniscus. He resumed skating Sept. 16, but entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for substance use Oct. 7.
"A player's success, for a fan, is judged on the ice," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "But for a player there are a lot of things he has to do to be successful on the ice. And often those things are done alone. There's no one to encourage you, no one watching you, but those are the most important moments for an athlete to have success on the ice and the fans behind you.
"So with what Carey has been through and the work that he has put in, it's fun to see where he is now and that he's ready to play. So we're really happy to have him. It will bring a boost to the team and I'm looking forward to seeing this."
Price originally returned to Montreal on Nov. 9 to have his surgically repaired knee examined and meet with teammates. He practiced with the Canadiens for the first time Nov. 17.
However, Price had a setback and Montreal announced Jan. 17 he would have to restart his rehab with no timetable for a return. He also contracted COVID-19 in early January, when the Canadiens paused activities as a preventative measure related to the coronavirus.
Price began traveling with Montreal last week to games at the New Jersey Devils on April 7 and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 9. He was also with them for a 5-1 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.
"It's been a long, long road for him so he's eager to get in there," Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher said. "It's nice to see him again on game day. He's in that frame of mind down there getting ready, doing what he does. And I've seen it so many times throughout the years here.
"You know it's going to be fun to see him in front of the net. It's something he's worked incredibly hard for, so in front of him we've got to give him a good effort and hopefully find a way to win a hockey game."
Price was 13-9 with a 2.28 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and one shutout in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games last season. He helped Montreal reach the Final for the first time since it won the Cup in 1993.
The Canadiens lost the best-of-7 series in five games to the Lightning.
Price went 12-7-5 with a 2.64 GAA, .901 save percentage and one shutout in 25 games last season. He is 360-257-79 with a 2.50 GAA, .917 save percentage and 49 shutouts in 707 NHL games (695 starts), all with Montreal, which selected him with the No. 5 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft.
Price is Montreal's all-time leader in games played by a goalie and wins.
The Canadiens (20-43-11) have been eliminated from playoff contention. They have eight games remaining.
