Carey Price spotted in San Jose sends fans into a frenzy

Late Friday, the Montreal Canadiens officially moved on from Carey Price, at least on paper. The Habs traded the longtime goalie and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Gannon Laroque.

Price, 37, is in the final year of the eight-year, $84 million deal he signed in 2017. His contract carries a $10.5 million cap hit, though he’s only owed $2 million in salary for 2025–26 after Montreal paid out his $5.5 million signing bonus on September 1. With Price sidelined since the 2021–22 season due to a major knee injury, the move was purely financial, or so it seemed.

Then came the sighting. On Wednesday, Price was spotted around the Sharks’ facilities in San Jose, sending fans buzzing with speculation. Was there any chance of a miraculous return and with the Sharks to top it all off?!

Let’s all calm down since the truth is far less dramatic. As Marco D’Amico explained, Price was in California to complete his required physical with the Sharks before being officially placed on injured reserve.

This is standard procedure and not an indication he will suit up again. Still, it was a strange sight for Canadiens fans to see their franchise cornerstone walking the halls of another NHL team’s complex as rookie camp was set to begin.

Once his medicals are finished, Price is likely to return home, just as he did in past seasons while still under contract with Montreal.

Drafted fifth overall in 2005, Price’s legacy in Montreal is cemented. A seven-time All-Star, he finished his career with a 361-261-79 record, a 2.51 goals-against average, and a .917 save percentage. His most iconic run came in 2021, when he backstopped the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Now, as he enters his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, Canadiens fans can only watch the highlights of his illustrious career, and try to avoid the sight of him in Sharks territory trending on social media.