The Montreal Canadiens were eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs following a Game 5 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. The loss not only broke the hearts of fans everywhere following the conclusion of an exciting season, but also spoiled the team's plans for the return of fan-favorite goaltender Carey Price.
A homecoming for Price as a postseason torchbearer at the Bell Centre would have certainly blown the roof off the building. Unfortunately for fans, that homecoming will have to be put on ice for another day following the conclusion of the Canadiens' season.
Carey Price had plans of a Montreal homecoming as a postseason torchbearer, confirmed by his wife Angela.
Recently, Angela Price was responding to questions from fans on her Instagram story. A fan asked whether or not the team had planned to bring the Price family back to the Bell Centre to introduce the legendary goaltender to the fans once again as a torchbearer.
In which Angela Price confirms she and Carey were coming to Montreal for Carey to be a torch bearer at the Bell Centre… pic.twitter.com/SMnBV4zLnh
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) June 1, 2026
"Yes! Flights were booked and everything... next year." Angela responded with.
Angela confirmed that the plans were not just an idea but an actual plan put in place if the Canadiens had advanced further in the postseason. That comment is the only piece of information that fans have received regarding a potential homecoming for Price, but it is clear the Canadiens wanted to bring back Price, in what would have surely been a special moment at the Bell Centre.
Price last appeared in a game for the Canadiens in April of 2022, where they beat the Florida Panthers by a score of 10-2. Price's contract was then traded to the San Jose Sharks in the summer of 2025. It has been a long time since Price returned to the Bell Centre, and clearly, fans are anxiously awaiting his return. The Stanley Cup Finals seemed to be the perfect time for the homecoming of one of the winningest goaltenders in the franchise's storied history.
Since being drafted fifth overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Price has played in 804 games for the Canadiens over 15 seasons of regular and postseason hockey. In that timespan, Price became the winningest goaltender in Canadiens history with 404, surpassing names like Jacques Plante, Patrick Roy, and Ken Dryden. Price certainly will go down in history as one of the greatest goaltenders in Canadiens history, and one of the greatest overall players to not win a Stanley Cup.
Having Price as a torchbearer in the Stanley Cup Finals is an idea to be saved for another day, as the franchise must know how much he means to the fans of Montreal. Having Price return for a homecoming in the postseason might have caused another mini earthquake in the city, so such a moment for a possible return to the Finals for the first time since Price led them to an appearance in 2021 might be worth the wait.
