Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has words for Habs G Carey Price

It was the long anticipated return to action for Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals in front of a rocking crowd at Bell Centre. 

The former Hart-Trophy winning goaltender had missed the entire 2021-22 season up until that point after checking himself into the NHL's Player Assistance Program, as well as rehabilitating from offseason surgery. A great moment of sportsmanship was caught on camera, as Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin gave a fist-bump to price as the game ended as a way of welcoming him back to the League. 

Afterwards, Ovechkin went further, praising Price as "one of the best players in the league" and wishing him well moving forward.

“Obviously, he’s one of the best players in the league,” Ovechkin said. “He was in tough situation. He’s a warrior. Good for him, good for organization, good for hockey, and good for family. Very happy he’s back and hope everything is going to be fine.”

“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,” Price wrote on Instagram last year. “Last month I made the decision to enter a residential treatment facility for substance use. 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."

The Habs certainly missed Price in the lineup this year, struggling for the entire season and becoming the 1st NHL team officially knocked out of playoff contention.

We certainly hope that everything is fine for Price moving forward, and it's great to see when fellow NHL players express their support.