Carey Price to hit long-term injured reserve, Brett Kulak traded

Canadiens netminder to miss Canadiens game in Ottawa, Kulak dealt to Oilers

Canadiens’ goaltender Carey Price is expected to miss the next 10-12 weeks after being placed on long-term injured reserve, the team announced Thursday.

According to TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger, Price entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol last month and “had an adverse reaction to medication he’d take for non-COVID issues.”

The Canadiens also announced Thursday they have traded defenceman Brett Kulak to the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional 2022 second-round draft pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick. Kulak has one goal and 12 assists in 34 games with Montreal this season. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Canadiens, who have lost five straight games, will start Sam Montembeault in goal Thursday night in Ottawa. Cayden Primeau was recalled from the AHL’s Laval Rocket on an emergency basis and will back up Montembeault.

Price, 34, has a 12-18-4 record with a 3.64 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage in 34 games this season. He has not played since entering the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Jan. 19.

The Canadiens are now 16-24-9 this season and sit last in the Atlantic Division. They are five points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.