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Carey Price doesn’t know when or if he’ll play in the NHL again, but the injured Montreal Canadiens goalie said he has no plans to call it a career.

“We’ll have to take it step by step,” Price said Monday. “I don’t have a plan to retire right at this moment. Right now, my goal is to be pain free from day to day.

“I’m still having some issues getting up and down stairs, carrying my kids up and down stairs is difficult, so my first priority is to get my body in a place to where I’m pain free in my day-to-day living and go from there.”

The veteran netminder had knee surgery in July of 2021 and hasn’t played since April 29, 2022. He was placed on long-term injured reserve in August, when the team announced he would likely miss the entire season.

“My rehab hasn’t been successful so far,” he said. “I’ve talked to several people who have had this type of injury. It has taken over a year for them to feel normal. I’m still holding out hope. There’s a possibility I go for another injection. That surgery is a little bit worrisome for me.”

Price was expected to need 10-12 weeks to recover from the knee surgery, but he contracted COVID-19 during a pause in activities. He also missed a month of rehab last October while in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for substance abuse.

Even after all of that, Price did return to the Canadiens’ net toward the end of last season. It didn’t go well, as he went 1-4-0 with a 3.63 goals-against average and .878 save percentage. In Montreal’s season finale — his 700th NHL start — he stopped 37 shots in a 10-2 win over the Florida Panthers.

Only a few seasons ago, in 2020-21, Price and the Canadiens advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

“It’s frustrating, no question. You go from the Stanley Cup Final to sitting here today. It’s not a position I envisioned myself being in not too long ago,” Price said. “It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for myself. My kids and wife have been very supportive.”

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2005 draft, Price is the Canadiens’ all-time wins leader with 361. In 712 regular-season games, he’s 361-261-79 with a 2.51 GAA, .917 save percentage and 49 shutouts. In 92 playoff appearances (89 starts), he is 43-45 with a 2.39 GAA, .919 save percentage and eight shutouts.

–Field Level Media