Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carrie Price has left the team voluntarily to enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.
The Canadiens indicated that Price was unlikely to prepare for the season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 13. Coach Dominic Ducharm said Wednesday that Price is "not doing well right now."
Ducharme said the hope was to bring Price back into the lineup after off-season surgery to repair the star goalkeeper's torn meniscus.
Canadiens general manager Mark Bergevin said he learned of Price's decision on Wednesday and "the news shocked me." The GM addressed the team on Thursday morning. Bergevin said Price would be away from the team for at least 30 days but it "could be longer." He said he believes Price will be back with the team this season.
The NHL and the NHLPA jointly announced Price's decision and said there would be no further comment.
The goalkeeper's wife Angela Price posted a message on Instagram following the announcement.
"Part of the privilege of being in our family position is that we also get a public platform to show how there is and can be a way of light for anyone who is struggling. No matter what What's on the line, we hope we can put your mental health first by not only saying it, but by showing it and the importance of working to get better," she wrote.
"Keri is showing up for herself and her family and making the absolute best decisions for us. I will continue to show up for her and our kids and look for the support I may need any day."
The 34-year-old is entering his 15th NHL season with Montreal. He is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $84 million contract. He was a primary factor in the Canadiens' astonishing performance in the Stanley Cup Finals last season, posting a .924 saving percentage. Price is a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist as the league's top goalscorer, winning the award in the 2014–15 season, as well as the Hart Trophy for NHL MVP.
The Canadiens will rely on 31-year-old Jake Allen, who was Price's backup and appeared in 29 games last season. He was previously a starting goalkeeper for the St. Louis Blues. He claimed goalkeeper Samuel Montembolt on Saturday on an exemption from the Florida Panthers.