Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price reunited with his teammates Tuesday after a 30-day stay in the NHL/NHLPA players assistance program. The former Hart and Vezina Trophy winner stayed in a residential treatment facility from Oct. 7 to Nov. 6 to address his "struggle" with substance abuse.
In a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday, Price shared why he entered the facility exactly three months after his last Stanley Cup Final appearance.
"Over the last few years, I have let myself get to a very dark place and I didn't have the tools to cope with that struggle," wrote Price, whose Canadiens lost the 2021 Stanley Cup Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. "Last month I made the decision to enter a residential treatment facility for substance abuse. Things had reached a point that I realized I needed to prioritize my health for both myself and for my family. Asking for help when you need it is what we encourage our kids to do, and it was what I needed to do.
"I am working through years of neglecting my own mental health which will take some time to repair; all I can do is take it day by day. With that comes some uncertainty on when I will return to play.
"I appreciate all the overwhelming support and well wishes. I please ask that the media and our hockey community continue to respect our privacy at this time. Your support and respect of this so far has been critical to my recovery."
Price reported to the Canadiens' practice facility Sunday to undergo further testing on his surgically-repaired knee, according to ESPN. The 34-year-old was originally slated to miss 10-12 weeks after his July 23 procedure, a timeline that would've allowed him to return just before the team's Oct. 13 season-opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Instead, Price has yet to play a game in his 15th NHL season. Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme said Monday he doesn't have a timeline for Price's return yet but is satisfied with the former All-Star's progress.
"It was good for me to see him and see how he is doing," Ducharme said. "And for the guys too, to see their teammate back. We have a group of guys that care about each other, so having him back, just on the personal side, the guys feel pretty good about seeing him and seeing that he is doing good."
Montreal could certainly use Price on the performance side as well, as he guided the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup Final a season ago. The Canadiens are 3-10-0 and last in the Atlantic without their star goaltender this season.
