Though nearly half a year has passed since Carey Price last suited up for the Montreal Canadiens, the veteran goaltender is not yet ready to hang up the pads.
Speaking with reporters Monday as he continues his recovery from a lingering knee issue, Price said he's focusing on simply getting to a place where he's pain-free, and isn't looking past that goal just yet.
"We’ll have to really just take it step by step. I don’t have a plan to retire right at this moment," the 35-year-old said. "Right now, my goal is to just be pain-free day-to-day. I’m still having some issues getting up and down stairs, carrying my kids up and down stairs is difficult. So my first priority is just to get my body in a place to where I’m pain-free in my day-to-day living, and go from there."
Earlier this month, Price opened up about the surgery he's facing to repair that knee — an osteochondral autograft transfer — and his reluctance to move ahead with the procedure, which would involve transferring bone and cartilage from a lower-wear area of his knee into the damaged area of his knee.
"I went for a second opinion in Pittsburgh at the end of the season — that’s where I had my end-of-the-year second opinion, what my future held and what kind of a plan would be going forward. That’s when that surgery was suggested," Price said Monday. "I was not particularly fond of such an intrusive surgery — in my opinion it’s a little risky for my quality of life after, and it worries me a little bit.
"It’s something I would consider if my quality of life is not at a place where I feel is acceptable and I’m really struggling in my day-to-day living."
It's been a tumultuous run for the veteran netminder over the past two years, from a whirlwind playoff run that nearly ended in championship glory to a 2021-22 campaign in which injuries allowed him to play just five games for his club. And now, to an uncertain path forward.
"It’s frustrating, no question," he said. "You go from being in the Stanley Cup Final to be sitting here today — it’s a pretty short amount of time. It’s not a position I envisioned myself being in not too long ago. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for myself. But at the end of the day I’ve had my family there — my kids and my wife have been very supportive, my family at home.
"You know, every fan that I’ve had an interaction with over the last year and a half has been just overwhelmingly positive, so I’m really thankful for that."
Price is still signed for four more years in Montreal, looking for his 713th game in the big leagues after playing all of the first 712 in a Canadiens jersey. Over that time, he's led Montreal to 361 wins, put up five seasons with a save percentage topping .920, posted 49 career shutouts, and taken home a Hart Trophy, a Vezina Trophy, a Ted Lindsay Award, a William M. Jennings Trophy, and — last season — a Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
With thoughts of still adding to that sterling run some time down the line, the plan for the time being is to simply continue pushing ahead with the work of rehabbing his knee.
"It hasn’t been successful thus far, that’s been the real frustrating part," he said of that work. "But I’ve had several people talk to me who’ve had this type of injury, and it’s taken over a year for them to start feeling normal. So I’m still holding out hope."
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