Carey Price didn’t want to retire, but an injury compelled him to. It’s been three years since Price last played in 2022. In his last game against the Florida Panthers, he allowed two goals in 39 shots. The goalie was honored with the 2022 Masterton Trophy for his perseverance and dedication to the game.
Undoubtedly one of the best netminders in the history of the Montreal Canadiens, Price does not hope to return to the ice anymore because of nagging knee injuries. With all arrears cleared, rumors have been running amok about a trade surrounding Price’s $10.5 million contract to create some much-needed flexibility for the Canadiens, who are already $6 million over the $95.5 million salary cap.
What did Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes Say About a Probable Carey Price Trade?
Price could be off the ice with no possibility on the horizon to ever return, but his $84 million contract with the Canadiens remains active till 2026. It makes sense for the Canadiens to want to move the contract, and in a recent turn of events, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has spoken up about the situation in his recent interaction with Sportsnet.
Price and the Montreal outfit go way back in time. The team drafted Price fifth overall in 2005, and the partnership has been a story of endurance and camaraderie. Nobody saw the injury and the abrupt conclusion of Price’s career coming, but now that it’s a reality, it’s fair to plan around it.
While it would be a good move to strike a trade surrounding Price’s contract, Hughes noted that it is not the only option for the team to improve its cap situation,”…we’ll continue to explore ways to create cap flexibility.” “If we can find a trade to move his contract that makes sense for us and makes sense for another team, we’ll pursue it. But we don’t have to.”
Writing up an interview I did with Habs GM Kent Hughes for @Sportsnet, but since Carey Price’s name is flapping in the wind, here’s a comment from him on Price’s situation and MTL’s cap compliance: “We’re fine. We don’t have to trade Carey Price. If we can find a trade to move…
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) September 3, 2025
A trade is a better option for the Canadiens than placing Price on the LTIR, which the team has been doing for the past three seasons. Among the many teams across the league, the San Jose Sharks are in contention for Price as the team needs to meet the league minimum spending requirements. “The Sharks sit just $5 million above the salary cap floor and could use Price’s $10.5 million cap hit as insurance to remain compliant while trading away higher-salaried players through the season,” notes Antonio Losada, writing for Athlon Sports.
With trade speculations surrounding Price reaching a fever pitch, the goalie’s wife, Angela Price, recently addressed the rumors during a Q&A session on her Instagram. When asked how she would feel if the Canadiens dealt away the netminder, Angela had a simple yet deeply emotional response, “Probably the same way most of Montreal would feel… But ultimately you want what’s best for the team.”
Angela’s words hint at the glorious partnership that would conclude if the Montreal front office made the move. It would mark the end of an era. Yet, standing at this juncture, a trade appears essential to better the Canadiens’ cap situation.
