Speculation About Carey Price’s Future Picking Up Again

If Carey Price can return to play this season and prove he’s healthy enough to resume his career, will the Montreal Canadiens trade him?

In the latest 32 Thoughts podcast NHL Insiders Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek speculated on what’s next for the Montreal Canadiens and more specifically, directly on the fate of Price in the ongoing roster transformation. For a while now, Price’s future with the Habs has been the elephant in the room but with the NHL Trade Deadline passed and the season winding down, the Price speculation will only accelerate. Friedman, who is well-connected, may have kickstarted that Price speculation here:

“If Price comes back and plays, then I think there’s a chance that he’s playing somewhere else next season,” said Friedman as he speculated on the future of the Montreal Canadiens goaltender.

The future of Price with the Montreal Canadiens has been the elephant in the room for a long while, as the club is waiting on the status of their franchise goaltender before they can execute any major plan. If he’s medically cleared and feels ready to play, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes would love to see goalie Carey Price get in some game action before the 2021-22 regular season concludes on April 29.

“I think it’s really totally up to his health,” Kent Hughes told TSN at the NHL GM meetings Monday night. “It would be great for the team to have Carey come back, just that boost. …it sounds like there was a real void without Shea Weber, without Corey Perry and without your superstar in Carey Price being part of the locker room and the day-to-day, so having Carey back would certainly be helpful to our group and give them hope.”

Carey Price has been adamant about remaining a member of the Montreal Canadiens, making any potential move very difficult, as the veteran goaltender holds a full No-Movement Clause (NMC) in his contract.

“Being a goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens has been my life for over a decade; it’s part of my identity,” explained Price during his most recent press conference on January 30.  “Ending the season on such a disappointing note last year, I just want to get back in there and continue playing. And to be able to put that sweater on again is something that is keeping me motivated at this point.”

Price has expressed his desire to stay at every opportunity, but also waived his NMC during the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft last summer, showing that anything is possible in the right situation. Whether or not Price is moved this season, the priority for the Montreal Canadiens is to help their veteran goaltender return to get healthy and get back to stopping pucks regularly. Once that step is reached, Hughes, Price and the rest of the management team will sit down and decide his future as the Canadiens continue their roster transformation.