Canadiens put Price on long-term injured reserve, gain cap relief - Montreal Gazette

Price has four seasons left on his contract with an annual cap hit of $10.5 million.

Author of the article:

Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date:

Sep 07, 2022 • 15 hours ago • 3 minute read • 9 Comments

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes, right, speaks during a news conference alongside forward Kirby Dach in Brossard on Sept. 7, 2022. Dach has agreed to terms on a US$13.45-million, four-year contract with Montreal. Photo by Graham Hughes /The Canadian Press

Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes solved the team’s salary cap problems with one swift move Wednesday, placing goaltender Carey Price and his US$10.5-million cap hit on the long-term injured reserve (LTIR) list.

Hughes’s announcement at a noon news conference in Brossard overshadowed the news that restricted free-agent forward Kirby Dach signed a four-year deal worth US$13.45 million.

The decision to place Price on LTIR was no surprise. When Hughes acquired Sean Monahan and his US$6.35-million cap hit last month, Hughes said burying Price’s cap hit was a matter of when and not if.

Price, 35, spent most of last season recovering from off-season knee surgery and played in only five games at the end of the season. He posted a 1-4 record with an .878 save percentage and a 3.63 goals-against average.

Hughes said he will have further news when Price meets with the team doctors prior to training camp, but the knee hasn’t responded to treatment. Price has a history of knee problems dating to the 2014 Olympic Games and it’s possible he’ll never play again.

He has four seasons remaining on an eight-year, US$84-million deal he signed in 2017.

The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was selected fifth overall in the 2005 NHL draft. He won the Vézina Trophy as the top goaltender and the Hart Trophy as most valuable player in 2015. In 712 career NHL games, all with the Canadiens, Price owns a GAA of 2.51 along with a save percentage of .917.

Dach, 21, who was the third overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, said was looking forward to a fresh start in Montreal.

“I just want to enjoy hockey and then we will see what the future holds for me,” said Dach, adding that he has fully recovered from a wrist injury that hampered him in Chicago.

“I have always had confidence in my game and this will be a bit of a new start,” added Dach. ”There were ups and downs, some things I could control, some I couldn’t. I feel comfortable with my game, I skated with a few guys today and my main concern is to be able to play freely, to be creative and to use my instincts. It’s going to be about trusting myself around the net, shooting more. That’s what I’ve been working on this summer.”

Both sides seemed happy with the terms of the contract. Hughes said it was actually a couple of two-year contracts. He said Dach will be paid a little more than market value in the first two seasons, but the deal will even out over the full term.

Price might not be the only player on LTIR to start the season.

Hughes described forward Paul Byron, who is coming back from hip surgery, as being in “grey area” that may require him going onto LTIR to start the season. Byron scored four goals and added three assists in 27 games last season and underwent what was a described as a minor procedure in the off-season.

There are also question marks about whether Monahan and Jonathan Drouin will be ready to begin the season. Hughes said Monahan, who is coming off hip surgery, will skate with his teammates Thursday and is feeling good. Monahan expects to return for opening night, but Hughes said the team won’t rush him.

The same goes for Drouin, who is coming off his third wrist surgery.

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