Carey Price’s blank facial expression told most of the story.
The Montreal Canadiens had just fallen in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final. Their season was over. The Tampa Bay Lightning were celebrating a second consecutive title down the hall.
It was July 7, 2021, and Price was hurting, emotionally and physically, as the star goaltender dissected his team’s trying season and magical playoff run amid the COVID-19 pandemic on a video conference call with reporters.
He didn’t know it at the time, but there would be just five more games in his professional career.
“To come so close and not win, it’s pretty heart-wrenching,” Price said in a recent interview. “Results aside, the experience was something I’ll cherish forever.”
The Anahim Lake, B.C., product’s knee was already a major issue as Montreal stunned hockey by making the Original Six franchise’s first final since Canada’s last Cup victory in 1993. Price spent most of the following season trying to get back. His eventual return that spring would be brief.
“I always figured that my career would come to an end when I either wasn’t good enough or my body was telling me that it was time,” Price said. “When your body tells you, you need to do something else, kid, you better listen.
“I wanted to be able to walk and play with my kids and my grandkids; 15 years is a long time to be an NHL goalie. I was blessed.”
The 37-year-old hasn’t played a game since April 29, 2022. And while there’s been no official retirement announcement — his big-money contract runs through next season — he long ago migrated to life after hockey.
WATCH | Price gets standing ovation before Canadiens’ 2022 season opener:
Montreal fans gave star goalie Carey Price a warm welcome during opening ceremonies of the Leafs Habs game.
‘Parenting’s a busy occupation’
“I thought not playing I’d have a lot of time on my hands,” joked Price, who has three children with wife Angela. “Turns out parenting’s a busy occupation.”
His downtime has also included partnering with Kraft Hockeyville, a program that’s awarded Canadian communities more than $5.1 million to maintain or upgrade sports and recreation infrastructure, including arenas, over the past 19 years.
Nominations are open through March 2.
“I grew up in a remote area,” he said. “I know how important local rinks and their maintenance and upgrading is.”
Price put up a career regular-season mark of 361-261-79, including 49 shutouts, a .917 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average.
The No. 5 overall pick at the 2005 draft won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2014-15 along with also taking home Vezina Trophy honours as the league’s top netminder.
“There’s no way that I would have been able to win those trophies without that commitment from the team in front of me,” said Price, who won 44 games and had a .933 save percentage that season. “Those fellas blocked a lot of shots. We played a tight system, we played it as a group.”
Price, however, never found ultimate team success in the playoffs despite a .919 save percentage and 2.39 GAA in 92 post-season contests.
Since hanging up his skates — he’s been on the ice a few times, but not in pads — the netminder has taken time to reflect.
‘Thankful’ for being a Canadien
“When you’re in it, you’re in it,” Price explained. “You’re so goal-oriented that you don’t really think of an ending. But having a chance to look back, I’m just so thankful. I got to be able to be the goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens.
“It’s something that I’m extremely proud of.”
Price was in Toronto in November for former Montreal captain Shea Weber’s induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, should be a lock for this year’s class.
The former Canadiens captain was seated next to Price back in July 2021 after Montreal lost out in the Cup final, but never played again due to a long list of injuries.
“It’s essentially a lifetime achievement award,” Price said of the Hall’s call. “You spend your whole career, your whole life dedicated to something.”
Future plans
Price said he’s content to be a dad for now but hasn’t shut the door on a return to hockey once his kids are older.
“When they’re teenagers and don’t think I’m cool anymore,” he quipped from his home in Kelowna, B.C. “I’m pretty content being a dad.”
His mother, Lynda, is chief of the Ulkatcho First Nation. Price said that while he follows politics, it’s not his game.
“I don’t know if I’m competitive enough,” he said.