Canadiens: Carey Price Wants To Finish Career In Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens are currently running a goaltending tandem of Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault. That may change quickly.

Carey Price, who has been recuperating from all sorts of ailments this season from a meniscus surgery to entering the NHL Substance Abuse Program, is finally close to a return. The former Hart and Vezina trophy winner has been on the regular practice squad the last few days and the plan is to have Price make his season debut during next week’s four game road trip.

The Canadiens will be in New Jersey, Florida, Carolina and Tampa Bay.

With a healthy Jake Allen and the imminent return of Price, that would mean Samuel Montembeault would be the odd man out. There is currently no plan to send him to Laval which would mean Montembeault would sit out the rest of the season and get that much needed wrist surgery and have him set his focus for next season.

An interesting tidbit about Price appeared yesterday on 91.9 Sports FM, the local all sports French radio channel. Former Montreal Canadiens Georges Laraques is a regular on the channel and co-hosts the midday show. Laraques is still close to the team and is friends with a few players, one of them being Price. He mentioned on the show that Price has no intention on asking for a trade and leave Montreal. He says he wants to stay here until it’s time to hang it up.

(Translated from French) “Carey Price loves this team. The players, the guys that are there (…) he wants to finish what he started. He has no intention on getting traded.” – Georges Laraques on 91.9 FM

Remember, Price lifted his no trade clause and left himself exposed to the expansion draft so the team can protect Jake Allen. Was it known in advance that Price wouldn’t have gotten drafted? Or did Price really hope he would move to Washington State, hometown of his wife Angela?

Regardless of whether or not you want to keep Carey Price, having to move a goaltender who’s turning 35 this summer, has a history of knee and hip injuries, and carries a cap hit of $10.5 million for another four years makes it a next to impossible task.

Despite his age and the direction the team is taking with its rebuild, it might not necessarily mean the kiss of death. Many goaltenders have had their share of success despite being on the wrong end of 30. Marc-Andre Fleury is the modern example for that as he remains a pillar of consistency and gives his team a chance to win every night. Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, Tim Thomas and Dominik Hasek are all example of goaltenders having success in the back end of their careers.

Time will tell, but it’s good to see Price is still motivated to play. Many fans are hoping he becomes a Canadiens lifer, something of a rarity in today’s game.