"To be clear, this is purely a financial move. Price will likely never play a professional hockey game again. He has dealt with significant knee injuries over the last few years. As a result, the Sharks won't see the future Hall of Famer feature in their goalie rotation for the upcoming season. Price did not immediately react to the trade."
"The Canadiens' side of this is rather simple. They could have retained Price's contract and stashed it on long-term injured reserve. In that event, however, Montreal would have started the season with no available cap space. And it would have used up an LTIR slot. Now, Montreal has around $4.5 million available to them immediately. At the NHL Trade Deadline, they are projected to be able to add nearly $21 million in salary, according to PuckPedia."
"They were over the cap floor when this trade took place. And they now have less than $10 million in immediately available space. However, this is more of a longer-term move for this season. The Sharks are expected to be sellers around the NHL Trade Deadline. They have a lot of pending free agents who could be available as a result. Taking Price's contract allows them to be above the salary floor once all of those players have been dealt."
Montreal traded Carey Price's contract and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the San Jose Sharks in a purely financial move. Price has suffered significant knee injuries and will likely never play again, so the Sharks do not expect him to join their goalie rotation. The Canadiens freed about $4.5 million in immediate cap space and could add nearly $21 million at the trade deadline. The Sharks, currently above the salary floor, took the contract to remain above the floor after selling pending free agents; they now have under $10 million in immediate cap room.
Read at ClutchPoints
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