The Montreal Canadiens will play the last two games of the season without two of their biggest superstars.
Goaltender Carey Price and defenceman P.K. Subban will not play again in 2015-16, the team announced Wednesday.
The team offered a detailed explanation of the lower-body injury that has kept Price sidelined since November:
“Carey sustained a medial collateral ligament injury (MCL sprain) to his right knee on November 25th, 2015 in a game against the NY Rangers.
“The recovery process can be long in the case of an elite netminder such as Carey, due to the high demand placed on this anatomical structure by modern goaltending techniques. Although Carey has made excellent progress and is very close to being able to return to competition, he has not presently been cleared to do so. He is expected to make a full recovery over the off-season.
“This injury was not the same as the one he suffered earlier this season (October 29th at Edmonton), nor in previous years,” said the Canadiens’ head physician, Dr. Vincent Lacroix.
Price appeared in 12 games this season and finishes the campaign with a 10-2 record to go along with a .934 save percentage and a 2.06 goals-against average.
Subban suffered a non-serious neck injury in an awkward collision with teammate Alexei Emelin in the third period of a March 10 game against the Buffalo Sabres.
The 2013 Norris Trophy winner totalled six goals and 51 points in 68 games with the Canadiens this year.
The Canadiens also announced that defencemen Mark Barberio (concussion) and Victor Bartley (groin/broken foot) as well as forward Lucas Lessio (right knee) will not play again this season.
