Carey Price, the star Montreal Canadiens goaltender sidelined since the end of last season's Stanley Cup Final while working through several setbacks, will make his long-awaited return to the lineup on Friday against the New York Islanders, coach Martin St. Louis said.
"I can't wait to see, the team is really happy to see Carey, in nets," St. Louis said to reporters in French Friday. "I'm expecting us to be better."
During the Canadiens' morning skate, Price could be seen participating in what is normally the starter's routine, preempting the confirmation that he would be making his season debut in front of the Bell Centre faithful.
Price joined the Canadiens on their road trip last week, accompanying the team to New Jersey and Toronto, but was not expected to play in either game. Still, his return to the day-to-day fold marked a significant step in his bid to return before the end of the season.
Price last played on July 7, in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, and his prolonged absence from the team started just weeks after the series ended. At first, it was due to off-season knee surgery, but it later extended to the beginning of the current season when he left for treatment for what he called long-standing issues with substance abuse.
When asked recently when he thought Price would play again, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said, “I have no clue," before adding that "if you get a small sample of Carey this year and some encouraging things for him — whether it’s his play or how he feels after his play — I think the Montreal Canadiens are going to be in a better place."
Over recent months, evidence of Price's progress has mounted, fostering cautious optimism that he would be able to return before the end of the Canadiens' season.
Price briefly skated in late 2021, but then had to take a step back in his recovery, returning to only off-ice work until March, when his on-ice work resumed. He has since participated in a handful of Canadiens practices, though was forced into another pause by a non-COVID-related illness.
Perhaps the most encouraging on-ice development came at the start of April, when Price was able to participate extensively in a practice. He stayed on the ice for almost the entirety of Montreal's first drill — a small-area scrimmage between both blue lines — and did the bulk of the work for all the others over the next 50 minutes.
Without Price, the Canadiens have struggled through what has been a largely forgettable season on the ice, hamstrung by poor play and injuries, resulting in a front-office overhaul. They are in second-last place in the NHL, at 20-43-11.
