Carey Price was back in town this week as a surprise guest at the Montreal Canadiens Hockey School for kids.
And the reaction the group of Habs-loving youngsters had to the winningest goalie in franchise history just waltzing in was priceless (no pun intended).
Hiding behind a curtain at the Canadiens practice facility in Brossard was the 36-year-old netminder, who was giving away shoes on behalf of Under Armour.
point de vue : carey est sur le point de te surprendre Ć l'Ć©cole de hockey des canadiens
pov: carey is about to surprise you at canadiens hockey school#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/0hB8ASemqr
— Canadiens MontrĆ©al (@CanadiensMTL) August 23, 2023
When his name was announced, the whole room broke into a sea of smiles, gasps and applause.
The kids not only had the chance to take pictures with the Canadiens legend but also received autographs and, perhaps most importantly, a piece of advice.
When asked what it would take to get to the NHL one day, Price said, “Work hard. And you just gotta want it more than the next person.”
l'effet Carey š
these reactions are goated#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/kFVn2Gsign
— Canadiens MontrĆ©al (@CanadiensMTL) August 23, 2023
Price’s visit to the practice rink was unexpected for multiple reasons. Firstly, he’s been dealing with a serious knee injury that has kept him off the ice for the better part of the last two seasons.
Second, the netminder and his family moved out of their Montreal home earlier this summer, leaving the city for a new property in Kelowna, British Columbia.
But despite having a home base on the other side of the country, Price’s wife, Angela, recently confirmed that she and Carey would be returning, making frequent trips to Montreal.
āHe can continue his training and his rehab in Kelowna. And then we will often come back to Montreal. We have many plans to come back to Montreal,ā she said in an interview on The Drive-By podcast. āMe and Carey both will be back in Montreal lots. Heās going to be here for training camp.ā
As for whether he will retire, Price told members of the Montreal media back in October of 2022 that he was āstill holding out hopeā for a return to the game.