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Could Robin Lehner’s Canadiens Situation Solve Carey Price’s Contract?

News broke Thursday that the Vegas Golden Knights would receive cap relief by removing the contract of netminder Robin Lehner from the books. The controversial Swedish netminder did not report to camp as he continues to deal with personal issues at home.

Interestingly, the Golden Knights, the NHL and the NHLPA all agreed that the club has agreed to pay Lehner his $4.5 million salary in exchange for cap space as his finances have been frozen by his bankruptcy proceedings .

As expected, the hockey community took to social media to (again) criticize Vegas, where the NHL seems to have bent every rule for one of its newest franchises. Of course, they’re talking about continually skirting the salary cap, which is always a hot topic around playoff time when injured stars return in time for Game 1.

However, Jason Gregor sent a tweet that was viewed almost two hundred thousand times and liked more than a thousand times:

While following up with a tweet about the Lehner situation and how everything turned out in Vegas’ favor, he said the Montreal Canadiens could ask for the same deal regarding franchise leader Carey Price.

Price hasn’t skated since April 29, 2022 and may never see the ice again, but he is still under contract with the Canadiens. Today, Price is still the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL and will continue to earn $10.5 million annually on LTIR through the end of next season.

Interestingly enough, both Price and Lehner have struggled with injuries and mental health, so the only thing separating the two netminders is that one has filed for bankruptcy while the other has not.

Related: Best Canadiens players who didn’t win the Stanley Cup

Hockey fans can search for Lehner and come across Price, as the two are now linked in the endless scrolls of social media. Although Gregor’s comment was intended ironically, he is not wrong in his assessment of the situation.

It’s unfair that one team gets a salary cap exemption while one of the league’s most decorated and respected organizations doesn’t get the same luxury.

Lehner may never return to North America and step foot in an NHL arena, and Price will never strap on the pads and play hockey.

After Thursday’s news, everyone is curious as to why the Canadiens can make a deal to pay the $21 million he is owed and save cap space by not carrying him on LTIR.

Everyone is thinking about it, but Gregor is the only one who has raised the subject publicly.


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