Carey Price issues statement on seeking residential treatment for substance abuse

Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price issued a statement on Tuesday after he returned to the team following his voluntary participation in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Price says he entered a residential treatment facility for substance use last month and is asking for continued privacy.

“Over the last few years I have let myself get to a very dark place and I didn’t have the tools to cope with that struggle,” Price said on Instagram and through the Canadiens.

“Last month I made the decision to enter a residential treatment facility for substance use. Things had reached a point that I realized I needed to prioritize my health for both myself and for my family. Asking for help when you need it is what we encourage our kids to do. And it was what I needed to do.”

“I am working through years of neglecting my own mental health which will take some time to repair; all I can do is take it day by day. With that comes some uncertainty with when I will return to play,” he wrote.

On October 7, Price entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and was not with the team during that time. Price met with the Canadiens training staff Sunday so they could examine his surgically repaired knee. The procedure, which repaired a torn meniscus, and ensuing recovery cause Price to miss all of training camp. The team had expected the full recovery would take 10-to-12 weeks.

“I appreciate all of the overwhelming support and well wishes. I please ask that the media and our hockey community continue to respect our privacy at this time. Your support and respect of this so far has been a critical piece to my recovery.”

There remains no timeline for when Price will return, and Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme didn’t think he would be accompanying the Canadiens on their upcoming road trip, which includes games against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

“He’s got many things to do right now so I don’t think he’s going to be on the trip because there are steps that he needs to be taking,” Ducharme said.

“So I think it’s important that we focus on that first before going on the road with the team. I think he’s got too many things to do right now before getting into that. He needs to get back in the gym. He had an injury that the therapists are happy to see where he’s at right now with that, so he needs to get back to work and do specific work on that. That’s the first step he needs to do.”