The Montreal Canadiens today announced the trade of veteran goaltender Carey Price and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks. In return, the Canadiens receive defenseman Gannon Larocque. The move marks the end of an era for the franchise and provides crucial financial flexibility for the team’s future.
The decision to trade Price, who has been on the long-term injured reserve list due to a career-ending knee injury, is directly related to his $10.5 million a year contract. By freeing up this salary cap space, the Canadiens resolve one of their biggest financial burdens.
The move will allow the team to absorb the performance bonuses that young stars like reigning rookie-of-the-year winner Lane Hutson and current rookie-of-the-year favorite Ivan Demidov are expected to earn, ensuring the team can continue its rebuild in an orderly fashion.
The trade of Price is particularly ironic, as for most of his career, the goaltender carried the burden of the Canadiens’ success, often doing so almost single-handedly. For many, he was the cornerstone of the organization. His personal desire not to become a financial burden has been fulfilled, as his move now allows the team to move on to a new competitive phase based on a properly-built team, rather than relying solely on an all-world goaltender.