Carrie Price has no plans to retire from NHL but 'can't train at professional level'

Carrie Price, a goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens, was placed on the long-term injured list in early September.

The 35-year-old, who appeared in five games near the end of last year’s NHL regular season, told reporters Monday at the team’s practice facility in Brossard, Quebec, that his rehab was “not successful.” Said another knee surgery was successful. rate of about 50 percent.

After Montreal reached the Stanley Cup finals and then lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Price first underwent surgery in the 2021 offseason.

He also endured multiple setbacks when he returned to the ice, during which he participated in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program against Substance Abuse.

“We’ll have to take it step by step. I have no plans to retire at the moment,” he said. I have problems going down and it is difficult to get my child up and down stairs.

“So my number one priority is to put my body in a pain-free spot in my daily life and go from there.”

Price got a second opinion for a knee injury he sustained in Pittsburgh at the end of last season and was offered another surgery.

WATCH | Price receives standing ovation ahead of Canadiens season start:

Quality of life

The recommendation made Price feel sick and put his overall quality of life at risk. Netminder added that he “didn’t like” the idea and called the procedure “intrusive.”

“This surgery is called OATS,” Price said. “Basically, they take cartilage and bone plugs from the area below the knee and place them in the area where the cartilage is damaged. From a perspective, it’s like, “Well, 50% of the time it doesn’t work, 30% of the time it doesn’t work or something.”

“If I didn’t have to start my life all over again, I might think about it at that point, but right now, watching my young children and playing with them every day is the most important thing for me. Myself.”

For now, Price believes the next step is to continue the rehab he’s already been through.

“That was the really frustrating part, but I’ve spoken to several people who’ve had these kinds of injuries, and it took over a year for them to start feeling normal.” I have the possibility of another injection, but we’ll have to wait and see.

There is no longer a space with Price’s name in the Canadiens’ locker room at the Bell Center. This is a clear shift for Hubs veterans like Brendan Gallagher, who has gone through the ups and downs of the team’s recent history with Price.

“It’s not about looking down and not having him here. He’s been the focus of this team, this organization for years,” Gallagher said. “It’s different, but I’ve been lucky to have spent so many years with him. He’s made me look great on many nights. I would never say that in his presence, but I owe him a thing or two.”

‘Subtleties’

Price considers himself to be in a “gray area” when it comes to being part of a team. He earned his ovation standing at his center Bell in his October 12th season opener as a non-playing Canadian. He respects the team as an injured player and respects his teammate’s space.

“Anyone who’s been injured will tell you it’s a strange position,” Price said.

“I don’t want to be there every day and run out of resources every day. They come here and work hard every day. They see their trainers every day, but I don’t want to hinder their progress.I’ I feel like I’m in the way because I’m not going to be part of that process here this season. I’m around. I miss being with you guys.

The Anahim Lake, British Columbia native has played in 712 NHL regular season games and 92 postseason games, averaging 2.51 goals and a .917 save percentage.

At the end of the 2014-15 season, he won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalkeeper and the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player.

Price also won a gold medal with the Canadian Olympic team in Sochi, Russia in 2014.

Slavkowski undergoing examination for upper body injury

Canadiens rookie forward Juraj Slavkowski underwent an examination Monday for an upper body injury sustained last week.

The team announced that he would not practice on Monday.

The 18-year-old Slafkowski lives his life day in and day out, missing Saturday’s game against Dallas with an injury.

Slavkowski, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, scored his first goal of his NHL career on Thursday in Montreal’s 6-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes.

Slavkovski scored a tournament-high seven goals in seven appearances for Slovakia and was named MVP at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

He has scored just 5 goals and 10 points in 31 contests against TPS Turku in Finland’s top professional league, the SM Liga.