CAREY PRICE

MONTREAL — (AP) — Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price said Tuesday that he voluntarily entered the NHL’s player assistance program more than a month ago due to substance use. Price issued a statement through the Canadiens and also posted it to his Instagram account on Tuesday night. And it was what I needed to do.”Price rejoined the Canadiens on Sunday, but has not begun to practice. So I’m proud to call him a friend.”Drafted fifth overall by Montreal in 2005, Price is the storied franchise’s all-time wins leader. His 360 wins for the Canadiens tops Hall of Famers Jacques Plante (314), Patrick Roy (289), and Ken Dryden (258).

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price cites substance use as his reason for voluntarily entering the NHL’s player assistance program more than a month ago.

The Florida Panthers have matched the best 11-game start in NHL history.

Canadiens Price Hockey FILE - Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price speaks to reporters during an end of season news conference in Brossard, Quebec, in this Monday, April 9, 2018, file photo. The league and players' union said the 34-year-old Price will be away from the team while he takes part in the program. The union did not specify why he entered the program, but Price's wife, Angela, cited mental health as a reason in an Instagram post showing Price and their three children. “No matter what is on the line, we hope we can communicate the importance of putting your mental health first not just by saying it, but by showing up and doing the work to get better. The jointly funded group assists players and their families with mental health, substance abuse and other matters.

Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has voluntarily entered the NHL/NHL Players’ Association joint player assistance program.

Jones has been traded from the Blue Jackets to the Chicago Blackhawks, according to a person with knowledge of the move. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File) (Jay LaPrete)SECAUCUS, N.J. — (AP) — Seth Jones is now with the Chicago Blackhawks and could become the organization's cornerstone on the blue line. Chicago acquired the star defenseman from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a blockbuster trade Friday just before the NHL draft began. Caleb Jones could be a part of Chicago's future, but Seth is expected to be the No. “We are very pleased to acquire the ninth overall draft choice in this year’s NHL draft along with Loui, Antoine and Jay."

Draft Trades Hockey FILE - In this May 3, 2021, file photo, Columbus Blue Jackets' Seth Jones plays against the Nashville Predators during an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio. Jones has been traded from the Blue Jackets to the Chicago Blackhawks, according to a person with knowledge of the move. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File) (Jay LaPrete)SECAUCUS, N.J. — (AP) — Seth Jones has been traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Chicago Blackhawks, according to three people with knowledge of the move. “We are very pleased to acquire the ninth overall draft choice in this year’s NHL draft along with Loui, Antoine and Jay." ___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Draft Trades Hockey FILE - In this May 3, 2021, file photo, Columbus Blue Jackets' Seth Jones plays against the Nashville Predators during an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio. Jones has been traded from the Blue Jackets to the Chicago Blackhawks, according to a person with knowledge of the move. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File) (Jay LaPrete)SECAUCUS, N.J. — (AP) — Seth Jones has been traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Chicago Blackhawks, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The Jones trade was the fourth of the day and second blockbuster leading up to the NHL draft. “We are very pleased to acquire the ninth overall draft choice in this year’s NHL draft along with Loui, Antoine and Jay."

Kraken Expansion Draft Hockey Chris Dreidger, center, a goalie from the Florida Panthers, stands with ESPN NHL hockey draft host Chris Fowler, left, and Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis as he is introduced Wednesday, July 21, 2021, as a new player for the Kraken during the team's expansion draft event in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren)SEATTLE — (AP) — The Kraken expansion draft lacked drama after all 30 picks leaked out hours before they were revealed, but it had plenty of Seattle to introduce the NHL's 32nd franchise. “Any time you see a name like Carey Price available, you have to consider it,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. Boston defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will go down in the record books as Seattle's first expansion draft selection. “It’s a new team team and it offers a lot of opportunities for guys and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”___AP Hockey Writers Stephen Whyno and John Wawrow contributed to this report.

The league released the protected lists of all 30 teams eligible for the expansion draft Sunday morning, July 18. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack, File) (Phelan Ebenhack)SEATTLE — (AP) — The first roster for the Seattle Kraken won’t include Carey Price. The Montreal Canadiens goaltender was not selected by the Kraken in the NHL expansion draft, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision. But early indications are Seattle will emerge from the expansion draft well under the $81.5 million cap, potentially by $20 million or more. It was one of at least two signings the Kraken got done before submitting their expansion draft selections.

SEATTLE — (AP) — Adam Larsson and Chris Driedger are going to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. One person with knowledge of Larsson’s deal said the defenseman has agreed to terms with Seattle on a $16 million, four-year contract. Larsson, a 28-year-old from Sweden, was a pending free agent the Edmonton Oilers were interested in re-signing. The Florida Panthers expected to lose Driedger, either to the Kraken or in free agency. The Kraken have also been linked to Dallas Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, a pending free agent.

The Seattle Kraken have set their initial roster.

Stanley Cup Hockey Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (31) plays the puck during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack) (Phelan Ebenhack)After backstopping the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final, Carey Price has been left unprotected for the Seattle Kraken expansion draft. The 2015 MVP and Vezina Trophy winner is the biggest star left unprotected for the Kraken to select, but there's plenty of other talent available. St. Louis winger Vladimir Tarasenko is an option two years removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup after asking the Blues for a trade. The league released the protected lists of all 30 teams eligible for the expansion draft Sunday morning. ___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Goaltender Carey Price has been exposed to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft after backstopping the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after backstopping the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive year.

APTOPIX Stanley Cup Hockey Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ross Colton (79) reacts after scoring on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price during the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) (Gerry Broome)TAMPA, Fla. — (AP) — Ross Colton scored off a pass from David Savard to put the Tampa Bay Lightning 20 minutes away from their second straight Stanley Cup title. Savard set up Colton's goal with 6:33 left in the second to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead over the Montreal Canadiens after two periods in Game 5 of the final Wednesday night. Colton stunted the momentum Montreal had built in the second period and put more than 17,000 fans at Amalie Arena one step closer to party time. Colton and Savard are the only two players in the Tampa Bay lineup without their names engraved on the Stanley Cup. But the second belonged to the Canadiens until Colton scored.

The defending champion Lightning outshot the Canadiens 13-4 in a dominant start to their second opportunity to wrap up the series and win the Cup for the second time in 10 months. But they couldn't crack Price, who seems to have found his groove in the final after a rough first three games. Forward Blake Coleman, a pending free agent who's likely playing his final series with the Lightning, had a dominant first period on the forecheck, frazzling the Canadiens and drawing a penalty. At the other end of the ice, Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made four saves and sticked away the puck from a danger area with the Canadiens buzzing. ___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have won the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive season.

Stanley Cup Hockey Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (17) scores past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the first period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup final in Montreal, Monday, July 5, 2021. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP) (Paul Chiasson)MONTREAL — (AP) — Josh Anderson scored and Carey Price stopped 12 shots, sending the Montreal Canadiens into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead over the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night. Looking to avoid a four-game sweep, the Canadiens took their first lead of the series when Anderson converted Nick Suzuki’s pass into the slot at 15:39. Otherwise, Montreal had been thoroughly outplayed by the Lightning in being outshot 11-1 before Anderson’s goal. The 33-year-old Price got a glove up to stop Nikita Sergachev’s snapshot from the right circle in the opening minute of Game 4.

Josh Anderson scored and Carey Price stopped 12 shots, sending the Montreal Canadiens into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead over the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night. Looking to avoid a four-game sweep, the Canadiens took their first lead of the series when Anderson converted Nick Suzuki’s pass into the slot at 15:39.

Tampa Bay is also in position to complete the 21st 4-0 sweep in final history — the first since Detroit against Washington in 1998. The degree of difficulty is that much steeper against Tampa Bay, which has cashed in on various Montreal miscues. That was the case Friday, when Tampa Bay scored twice in the opening four minutes of each of the first two periods to build a 4-1 lead. After allowing 13 goals in a six-game semifinal series win over Vegas, Price has allowed 13 already to Tampa Bay. “We don’t want to see the Lightning win the Stanley Cup at all,” Petry said.

(Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP) (Ryan Remiorz)It's impossible for Nikita Kucherov to fly under the radar while leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. With a victory in Monday's Game 4, Tampa Bay would sweep the series and hoist the Cup for a second time in 10 months. Kucherov had another goal and assist in a 6-3 win in Game 3 Friday that kept open the possibility of a sweep. “We have game plan, right, and everybody’s buying in and everybody’s doing their job,” Kucherov said. Point's 14 goals are the most in the playoffs, but Kucherov has driven the bus for that line, especially this series.

(Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP) (Ryan Remiorz)Alexander Romanov played 54 games during the regular season for the Montreal Canadiens. Facing elimination at home Monday in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning might finally be the impetus for coach Dominique Ducharme to shake up his lineup and bring in fresh legs. Of particular concern is the Canadiens' inability to match the Lightning's physicality in an effort to wear down the defending champions. Assuming Tampa Bay closes this out, Joseph would be one of the 52 names on the Stanley Cup. Work ethic.”___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

... And we’re not satisfied until that’s done.”The quick-strike Lightning took one major step closer on Friday night with a resounding 6-3 rout of the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Tampa Bay caught the Canadiens flat-footed by scoring twice in the opening minutes of each of the first two periods to take a 3-0 series lead. Jan Rutta and Blake Coleman, with an empty-netter, also scored for the Lightning, who also won the Cup in 2004. Phillip Danault and Corey Perry also scored for a Montreal team that felt disrespected in making its deepest playoff run since winning its 24th Cup. One of Ducharme’s first moves was to spend Montreal’s only timeout after the Lightning scored 1:35 apart to build a 2-0 lead 3:27 in.

But the Lightning showed again why they're the champs and favorites to repeat by taking blow after blow and responding. Suzuki tied it for Montreal after Anthony Cirelli put the Lightning on the board a few minutes earlier. Carey!” at Price, and the Lightning improved to 13-2 this postseason when leading at the second intermission. JOSEPH INMathieu Joseph replaced Killorn in Tampa Bay's lineup, skating 6:23 in his first game since May 20. BATTERED CANADIENSThe Lightning were not the only team on the ice to have some attrition of injuries add up.

Suzuki tied it for Montreal after Anthony Cirelli put the Lightning on the board a few minutes earlier. Cirelli's seemingly harmless point shot found its way through traffic and beat Carey Price on the Lightning's sixth shot of the night. The Lightning are 13-2 this postseason when leading and the Canadiens 0-5 when trailing after two. Getting Joel Armia back helped the Canadiens find a different gear in Game 2 and take the play to the Lightning, but Coleman's late goal put them in comeback mode again. ___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

The Tampa Bay Lightning lead the Stanley Cup Final two games to none after beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-1on Wednesday night.

The Montreal Canadiens need more from their best offensive line in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Playoff goals leader Brayden Point also assisted for Tampa Bay, which has never won Game 1 of a Stanley Cup Final. Price is making his Stanley Cup Final debut in his 14th season with the Canadiens. He is the first goaltender in league history to win more than 400 regular-season and playoff games combined before appearing in a Cup Final. Meanwhile, center Jake Evans is in the Canadiens lineup after missing nine games due to a concussion. The Lightning are in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time since 2015.

Playoff scoring leader Nikita Kucherov had two goals and an assist and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 18 saves to outplay Carey Price and lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

MONTREAL — (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen scored 1:39 into overtime, Carey Price stopped 37 shots and the Montreal Canadiens advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 28 years following a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night. Cole Caufield and captain Shea Weber also scored, and the Canadiens eliminated the Golden Knights in Game 6 of their semifinal series. Montreal will make its playoff-leading 35th Stanley Cup Final appearance with a shot to add to its 24 championships. The Canadiens will face the winner of the semifinal series between the defending champion Lightning and New York Islanders. The Golden Knights twice erased one-goal deficits.

The Canadiens won 4-1. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Carey Price made 26 saves to lead Montreal to 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, putting the Canadiens one win away from the Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens lead Vegas 3-2 in the their best-of-seven series, with Game 6 scheduled for historic Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday. The Golden Knights, who have scored 11 goals in the series, have gotten just four from their forwards. It was all the Golden Knights would get, as Price stopped the final nine shots he saw, and Suzuki - who never got to suit up for one regular-season game with the Golden Knights - made an empty-net goal to provide the final margin___.

Carey Price made 26 saves to lead the Montreal Canadiens to 4-1 road victory over the Vegas Golden Knight, putting the Canadiens one win away from the Stanley Cup Final.

Canadiens Golden Knights Hockey Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield celebrates after the goal by teammate Tyler Toffoli during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Carey Price made 29 saves and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Wednesday night to tie the Stanley Cup semifinal series at a game apiece. Price improved to 9-4 in the playoffs, his most victories in a postseason. Paul Byron, Joel Armia and Tyler Toffoli scored for Montreal, with Bryon making it 3-0 with 2:45 left in the second period. Edmundson fired a shot that deflected back to Armia, who one-timed it past Fleury’s right skate.

Carey Price made 29 saves and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Wednesday night to tie the Stanley Cup semifinal series at a game apiece.

Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist, Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in the first game of the Stanley Cup semifinal.

Jonathan Marchessault, Max Pacioretty and William Karlsson came through with timely goals for the Vegas Golden Knights in their 4-2 series win over Colorado.

Montreal's Cole Caufield is the best of a handful of college hockey stars who went from playing at the NCAA level this season to jumping right into the NHL playoffs.

The New York Islanders have evened their series with Pittsburgh by keeping Penguins star Sidney Crosby in check.

Many draft-eligible prospects and NHL teams attempting to pick them face an uncertain future after many leagues were unable to hold full seasons or play at all because of the pandemic.

FILE - In this March 5, 2020, file photo, then-Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford watches the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against Edmonton in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)NEWARK, N.J. – Corey Crawford, who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win two Stanley Cups, has retired less than three months after signing with the New Jersey Devils and less than a week before the start of the NHL season. He won 260 regular-season games and recorded a franchise-high 52 playoff wins, winning the Cup in 2012-13 and 2014-15. Crawford led Chicago to a tie with Montreal (Carey Price) for the fewest goals allowed in 2014-15, earning his second William M. Jennings Trophy. In the 2014-15 playoffs, Crawford helped lead the Blackhawks to another Stanley Cup victory thanks to his 13 wins and two shutouts.