After a life in hockey cut short by injury, Carey Price is counting his blessings

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Carey Price is deep in stay-at-home-dad mode: His wife, Angela, is away at a convention in Las Vegas, and after the morning rush of getting his three kids – aged 4, 6 and 8 – ready for school, he’s just got back home from the drop-off. It’s been something of an adjustment since a knee injury ended his 15-season run with the Montreal Canadiens in the spring of 2022. It took a while before he could even watch hockey on TV.

Lately, though, Price, 37, has been focusing on what he’s gained rather than what’s now gone. “It’s been a real blessing to be able to be present, and watch my kids grow up on a day-to-day basis, and not be gone for long road trips all the time,” he says over the phone. This month, he’s the spokesperson for Kraft’s Hockeyville initiative, the program that awards $250,000 to a community rink in need of upgrades. It’s a cause that’s close to his heart. At 15, his father used to drive him 3½ hours each way from their home in Anahim Lake, B.C., to Williams Lake, so Carey could play on a Triple-A team; they won the provincial championship, and he was drafted to the WHL.

“I understand what it’s like to have the need for hockey rinks, and the maintenance of hockey rinks. It’s really important for small communities to have a place, to be able to take your children to. It’s a morale booster,” he says. “For me, hockey was an important character builder, and I think it’s important to youth.”

When and where were you happiest?

I suppose the logical answer is when my kids are all at home and behaving themselves. It would either be that or when I’m out in the woods by myself, in the quiet of nature.

Do you get a lot of time by yourself nowadays?

Not as much as I used to, that’s for sure. I thought I’d have a lot of time on my hands when I was done playing, but it turns out parenting is a full-time gig.

What is one of your favourite traits?

I would say problem solving. I like figuring out how things work. Learning how to fix things. Ever since I was a kid, I guess since I played with Lego, it’s just been something that I enjoy doing, learning how things work and building things.

What’s your least-favourite trait?

I’m not a morning person. The only time I’m ever a morning person is if I’m getting up to go hunting or fishing.

It must have been hard to adjust to being home with the kids, then.

Yeah. I feel like most of my life I’ve had to adapt to an unusual sleep schedule – typically we’d be up late at night, and practice usually didn’t start till 11 o’clock in the morning, so I think I kind of trained myself to be more of a night owl. Not being a morning person hasn’t applied itself well to being in post-hockey.

WEEKENDS WITH

If you had not been a hockey player, what might you have done with your life?

I imagine I probably would have had something to do in wildlife. I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and in nature and wild critters and wild places.

Do you have a favourite film?

I always really enjoyed The Lord of the Rings movies. And if you ask about a favourite author, Tolkien would probably be right up there at the top of the list. I read the books when I was in high school.

Do you have a favourite fictional figure? Do you see yourself as Frodo?

I like Gandalf.

What do you like about him?

Wisdom.

Is there any historical figure you would like to meet?

Jesus probably would be right there at the top of the list.

Why?

Just to feel his presence.

Is there something you’d like to ask him?

Yeah. That’s a long list. But nothing I can think of, off the top of my head.

Do you have a favourite podcast?

I listen to The MeatEater podcast quite a bit. It’s not just a hunting podcast, they go over kind of a broad spectrum of history and cooking and I just find it very interesting.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about yourself since stepping away from the career?

I suppose it’s how much of an introvert I truly am.

Did you not realize it while you were playing?

A little bit, but you’re in a team environment, so you’re always involved in a group. I suppose being a goaltender you’re somewhat on your own a little bit. I wouldn’t call myself anti-social, but I’m definitely not as social as I used to be.

You’ve been quite open about the struggles with alcohol that prompted you to enter the NHL’s player-assistance program in the fall of 2021. Do you see yourself as an important voice for mental health, sobriety and rehab?

I’ve always kind of been a lead-by-example type of guy more than a spokesperson, for the most part. But yeah, I would say that I’ve been approached by not only the general public but a lot of close friends of mine. And I guess I’ve been thankful to be able to give a word of advice to people that I care a lot about. Out of all of it, I think that’s the most important thing for me.

Do you mean you’ve been approached by people sharing their own stories that previously they had not?

Yeah. Or just their current struggles. I’ve been able to be a sounding board for people that are important to me and to be a person that they feel comfortable to talk to about current situations. It’s been a blessing to be able to help other people.

What would be your greatest regret?

I’ve had a few, but I would say that one professional thing is not winning in ‘21 [when the Canadiens lost the Stanley Cup final to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games]. That was a pretty bitter moment.

How did you come to terms with that?

I’ve come to appreciate the opportunities that I’ve got and how rare those chances really are. I look at it now as it was more of a blessing, to be able to just take part in a run like that. I look back on it now with fondness more than anything.

Do you have a favourite sport to watch?

It would probably be hockey. Honestly, being an athlete and being immersed in sports, I didn’t watch sports at home. I just kind of left that to the rink, being in it all the time. And I found it hard to actually watch hockey for the first year after not playing, because you watch somebody else do what you want to be doing. But now that I’ve been removed from playing for a little bit, I actually enjoy watching the game.