Price to miss start of season with non-COVID-19 illness

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will miss the start of the regular season as he recovers from a non-COVID-19 illness, head coach Dominique Ducharme announced Wednesday, per Sportsnet's Eric Engels.

The plan is to ease Price back into the lineup. The veteran goaltender isn't expected to practice with the team before Montreal's season opens Oct. 13.

Price is also healing from offseason knee surgery. The 34-year-old was sidelined through the summer after having an operation on a torn meniscus.

Jake Allen will assume Montreal's starting job with Price out.

Price posted a .901 save percentage in 25 regular-season starts in 2020-21. He elevated his game significantly in the playoffs, registering a .924 clip in 22 contests as the Canadiens lost in the Stanley Cup Final.