According to Marco D’Amico of RG, there may be some smoke between the Habs and Sharks regarding the contract of goaltender Carey Price. And while there is no deal in place, there are many factors that make sense for both sides in a swap.
The Sharks would not be acquiring Price to play games for them. The future Hall of Famer hasn’t played a game since 2022 and is all but officially retired from the NHL, with one year remaining at a $10.5 million cap hit that could be placed on LTIR. Still, while the Habs can LTIR Price’s deal, they can no longer get below the Cap floor with the new LTIR rules. For the Sharks, they can easily absorb his contract for a season, which would also allow them to move out contracts without taking salary back at the deadline, as the team is very close to the cap floor as it is.
Another wrinkle about this deal for the Sharks is their ability to sign Michael Misa. I recently discussed why Misa hasn’t signed and mentioned the Sharks' contract situation, which currently sits at 49 contracts. The Sharks would need to shed at least one contract to roster both Sam Dickinson and Michael Misa this season. Montreal has 43 contracts and could take some expendable deals off the Sharks' book in exchange for Price and a pick. Sheng further detailed this scenario in his recent episode of the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast.
If the Sharks do trade for Price’s contract, don’t expect a significant return. With just one year left on the deal and the rising cap, teams are not as desperate as they were in the flat cap era. A recent comparable would be the Shea Weber trade at the deadline. The Blackhawks acquired Weber and two prospects for a 5th-round pick, so I would expect something similar here, with a mid-to-late-round pick in addition to Price to the Sharks. At the same time, the Canadians take lower-end prospects off the Sharks' hands, helping them clear some roster space.
If a deal is to happen, I expect it to be soon, as the Sharks would want Misa under contract for Rookie camp and pre-season. Sharks Rookie Camp begins September 12th, so a deal should be done before then if it is indeed in the works.