Carey Price could have a new role with the Canadiens in the near future
The Montreal Canadiens played their final game of the 2022-23 season back on April 13th against the Boston Bruins, losing by a score of 5-4, which secured them the fifth-best odds in the draft lottery.
In the days following their final game, reports circulated that Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault had committed to Hockey Canada for the 2023 IIHF World Hockey Championship, which was eventually confirmed weeks later.
But with nearly 30 days between his last game with the Canadiens and first game with Canada at the World Championship, Montembeault needed some help to get ready for the tournament.
Enter Carey Price.
According to Stu Cowen of the Montreal Gazette, Carey Price was acting as Montembeault's goaltending coach in the weeks leading up to the World Championship, with Canadiens forward Paul Byron also assisting by shooting pucks on the Habs netminder.
It appeared that Price's coaching helped Montembeault significantly as the 26-year-old made 23 saves for the shutout in Canada's opening game of the preliminary round on Friday afternoon against the co-hosts, Latvia. Canada has Saturday off, before back-to-back games on Sunday and Monday against Slovenia and Slovakia, respectively. Montembeault will likely be back in between the pipes for one of those games, while Sabres netminder Devon Levi will play the other.
Perhaps Carey Price will have a job with the Canadiens once his contract is up following the 2025-26 season.
Source: Montreal Gazette
| POLL | ||
Should Samuel Montembeault be Montreal's number one goaltender next season? | ||
| Yes, absolutely | 79 | 51 % |
| No, should be Jake Allen | 19 | 12.3 % |
| No, trade for a starter or sign one in free agency | 39 | 25.2 % |
| See Results | 18 | 11.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
