Dr. David Mulder, the longtime physician for the Montreal Canadiens, recently retired after 60 years of service.
In his tenure with the Canadiens, he’s seen a ton of notable events, including the infamous knee injury that has kept goaltender Carey Price off the ice for the better part of two years.
During a press conference ahead of a charity gala held in his honour at the Bell Centre on Wednesday, Mulder detailed why Price’s injury is so severe.
“[Price] had two injuries,” the 85-year-old said. “He had an injury to the meniscus, which is the cartilage in the joint. We sent him to New York. And during the operation, [the doctor] discovered that the condylar, the important part of the femur, had lost all its cartilage.”
Mulder revealed that the unsettling news was difficult for the 36-year-old netminder, and the organization, to swallow.
“That was a complete surprise to us,” he said. “It was very frustrating for us and doubly frustrating for him.”
Mulder concluded his assessment of the injury with a comment that likely struck a chord with Canadiens fans holding out hope that Price could one day return to NHL action, saying the injury is “really what has ended his career.”
Back in September, Price – the winningest goalie in Canadiens history – provided fans and the media with an injury update of his own at a press conference in Brossard.
“For short periods of time, I can do things that are strenuous,” he explained. “But, the honest thing is, right now, it’s just not gonna happen. To take the stress of the goaltending position, it’s not where it needs to be.”
As for what his athletic future holds, the native of Anaheim Lake, BC, said he is happy to help the Canadiens going forward in any way that he can.
“I’m going to [be] a Montreal Canadien for the rest of my life and I’m very proud of that, so I’m willing to help this team in any aspect.”