Was he so ecstatic with his first win of the season that he could not wait until the end to celebrate it? Was it just over now, with the Canadians winning more than one touchdown after conceding at least five goals in 31 of their 82 games this season? Or was Price just thinking about what those last few seconds as a Canadian might have been like? Before the end, he made 37 saves against the Florida Panthers – 30 would do the trick – and scored his 361st victory in his 700th start. But Price was not after the game to talk about it. Pierre Gervais (the team’s equipment manager, who played his last game on Friday after 35 years in office) was and pondered what the future holds for No. 31. “I hope for the best, and for what he hopes,” Gervais said. “This guy, I’ve said it before, he’s amazing, he’s been through a lot. He works so hard on the ice, and hopefully this summer will be a good summer for him. he will settle with all his doctors and will (face) all his injuries and he will have one or two more seasons, we hope “. Gervais, who is known for knowing all about things close and dear to Canadians, did not deny that this may have been Price’s last in Montreal – or in the NHL. “It’s a possibility,” Gervais said. “I am not a doctor, but it is a possibility. “But that would be a great way to end it. tonight was amazing. “ It was much better than what we saw most nights this season – the Canadiens fell to the bottom of the standings early and locked themselves in last place in the NHL before the book even fell. They beat the Panthers who won presidential trophies (or a version of them, with the Panthers resting almost all of their best players before what they hoped would be a very long run in the playoffs) and put all but two of them enter at least one point in the game. Cole Caufield, who started the season with one goal in his first 30 games, managed to score three to raise his total to 23 in 67 games. Drawn for second-place goals between rookies Trevor Zegras (74 games), Michael Bading (79 games) and Lucas Raymond (82 games) and may go home or to the World Cup – not yet decided – feeling that he has done something. Fans shouted “Cofield!” Caufield! Caufield! both after scoring his third goal and after the game, and addressed them and thanked them for their support. “I am not going to lie, I feel very good,” Caufield told the media. “I think it was a fun night for all of us to play for some very important people in our organization and I think it was a good way to go out and finish the season with a win.” And then Caufield said this about Price: “It means everything to us (to win for him),” he began. “He is the backbone of our team, he is a guy you want to play for and being in the room every day was just something special and you just feel the energy he brings regardless of whether he is excited or not. “You just feel him back there and it helps a lot that he is very good at his job.” Whether or not Price believes that he can be as good as he expects of himself is a question that only he can answer. And he may not be ready to come on Saturday, when the Canadians will make the media available at the end of the season. The week of the 35-year-old that is going to happen soon started on the sidelines. He traveled to New York to meet with surgeon Richard Marx about knee surgery last July that repaired his meniscus but took much longer than expected to heal. Several setbacks – after a period of one month in the NHL / NHLPA Player Assistance Program – turned what was supposed to be an eight to 10 week recovery into almost a season and there were fears that Price had suffered another setback after just four action games. Without any official word, Price returned to the ice on Thursday, despite the fact that the Canadians had one day off. He led the team on ice for the morning skate on Friday and was confirmed as a starter right after coach Martin St. Louis. After Price picked up his wand from his net and re-boarded the game over time, the crowd applauded him and the Canadians. He shouted “Curry! Carey! Carey! ‘ after his first bounce of the night and again, late in the game, when he flashed to the top of his fold to make a windmill glove to save his former teammate Ben Chiarot. Price was all smiles as the Canadians stood along the blue line and greeted the fans before handing over their shirts and signing autographs. “I think that meant a lot,” said St. Louis. “I think he wanted to play towards the end, and in the first games we did not give him any support, so it could have been different. But I think winning this game, I think it means a lot. If I put myself in his place, fighting with what he fought for, the level at which he played in this league, and he has his own expectations – the top guys in this league are really tough on themselves – so to end like this, I’m very happy for him. “ Gervais was more than happy with Price. “I’m so, so, so happy for Carey Price,” he said. “He is a great man. It does not matter the goalkeeper, who was the best in the world, and everything he did. “I had the opportunity to be alone with him in the dressing room very early in the morning, and he is just a great person.” They won together with Team Canada – Olympics in Sochi, Russia in 2014, something that remains with Gervais as the sweetest memory of Price. “This guy here,” he said, “I’ve never seen a hockey player – even my New York Rangers colleague in Sochi said, ‘What the hell is this guy?’ – he was the first guy to arrive, full of suit, cowboy hat, catering Ή He was incredible and I had no doubt that we would win the gold medal in Sochi. “Carey was invincible.” Less now, hence the uncertainty. The price is under contract for another four seasons. He has an average annual salary of $ 10.5 million and still owes $ 31.25 million – $ 24.25 million of which must be paid for a sign-up bonus – and it is impossible to say at this time if he will play again. Injuries have accumulated over the years and have confirmed this doubt, with him appearing in just five of 82 games this season. Maybe Price will announce on Saturday that he will continue and that he intends to do it with the Canadians for as long as he wants to do it. But if that’s not the case, he spent his final seconds in the unique uniform he has ever worn in this league – the franchise leader in the games he started and won – sharing it with the people who matter most to him.
