The Montreal Canadiens have finalized a trade involving goaltender Carey Price and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 draft. Price and the pick are headed to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Gannon Laroque.
The last time Price competed in the NHL was April 29, 2022. After a meniscus operation, he was only able to participate in five games during the 2021-22 season. Since then, he has been on the long-term injured reserve.
Price’s eight-year, $84 million contract comes to an end this season. After the Canadiens paid him a $5.5 million bonus on September 1, it was easier for the team to trade his $10.5 million cap hit to San Jose.
Before the transaction, Montreal exceeded the NHL salary cap by $5.9 million. After Price’s trade, the Canadiens now have $4.56 million in cap space.
Price played his entire 712-game NHL career with Montreal, achieving an overall save percentage of .917 and a GAA of 2.51. He was one of the most outstanding goaltenders of his generation, and in the 2014-15 season, he became the first goalie to win the Hart Trophy, the Vezina Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, and a share of the William M. Jennings Trophy in the same season. In addition, he earned the most wins in Canadiens history (361).
The 38-year-old player’s family was preparing for a possible move outside of Montreal. Earlier in the week, Price’s wife, Angela, was asked on social media how she would feel about a possible transfer of Price’s contract, to which she replied that she would probably feel the same as most of Montreal… But, ultimately, you want what’s best for the team.
Upon being traded to Price, the Canadiens receive Laroque, a 22-year-old defenseman. The defenseman, who was selected in the fourth round, in the 103rd position, by San Jose in 2021, has not yet debuted in the NHL.
