NHL Rumors: 3 Teams Linked To Trading For Carey Price's Contract

Thursday, August 28, 2025 , , ,
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price salutes the crowd during 2022 game.

The Montreal Canadiens are once again exploring ways to move Carey Price’s massive contract, and three teams have surfaced as potential landing spots: the Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken, according to Montreal Hockey Now's Marc Dumont.

Price, who has been on permanent long-term injured reserve since 2022, carries a $10.5 million cap hit for 2025-26, but only $2 million in actual salary after a $5.5 million signing bonus is paid on September 1. That structure makes his deal appealing to rebuilding clubs looking to reach the salary-cap floor while minimizing real spending.

Why the Sharks and Kraken Make Sense

San Jose’s situation is perhaps the clearest. General manager Mike Grier has over $19 million in cap space and has room to take on the contract for some potential assets.

The Kraken, meanwhile, also have some cap space and could see value in acquiring the deal if they pivot toward a reset. For both clubs, the Canadiens would likely need to attach a mid-level draft pick to make the arrangement worthwhile.

Penguins Could Enter the Mix

The Penguins are a different scenario. While they’ve already reached the salary floor, they still have over $13M in cap space and are close enough to slipping under if they trade veterans such as Erik Karlsson or Bryan Rust. Adding Price’s contract would provide financial cover in that case, costing little in actual money while ensuring compliance with league rules. 

Montreal, meanwhile, would finally gain the freedom to accrue regular cap space during the season rather than being handcuffed by LTIR constraints. For a team with playoff aspirations, that flexibility could be the difference when it comes to adding talent at the trade deadline.

Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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