Montreal's Carey Price releases statement regarding absence from Canadiens

Last month, Carey Price left the Montreal Canadiens to enter the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. On Tuesday, he released a statement explaining why he left and what his next steps will look like:

"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. 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. 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."

Price has not yet played this season and was recovering from offseason surgery at the time of his departure from the team. Now back with the club, it is not clear when he will return to action.

A 14-year veteran of the NHL, Price has won the Vezina, Hart, Jennings and Ted Lindsay awards, an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada and sits 27th on the all-time list of games played by a goaltender. His 360 regular-season wins put him 21st on the all-time list, and his 43 postseason victories put him 28th.