MONTREAL — Carey Price is preparing to return to the Canadiens.
The superstar goalie will rejoin the team Monday, according to Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme. Price will meet with athletic therapists and develop a plan moving forward, Ducharme said Friday.
Price voluntarily entered the NHL’s player assistance program on Oct. 7.
The assistance program, jointly run by the league and the NHL Players’ Association, helps players and their families with mental health, substance abuse and other matters.
No official reason was given as to why Price entered the program, but his wife, Angela, cited mental health in an Instagram post when the news first broke that he would miss the start of the season.
Price also was recovering from offseason knee surgery when training camp began.
“He’s coming off a surgery, so we’ve got to see where he’s at with that,” Ducharme said. “And then from there I think it’s gym, then on the ice by himself, then with the goalie coach, with shooters, with the team.
“So there’s a buildup for sure, and the timeline, it’s tough to go deep and really have a plan.”
Ducharme said Price might have a conditioning stint with the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket before returning to action with the Canadiens. Price played briefly with the Rocket late last season after recovering from a concussion.
“We’re going to take a look at everything we can do to get him ready to play,” Ducharme said.
Price, who is 34, has a career record of 360-257-79, with a 2.50 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and 49 shutouts.
He was instrumental last season in Montreal’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, where it lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.
The Canadiens host the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.