Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has voluntarily entered the NHL/NHL Players' Association joint player assistance program.
The NHLPA said in a release that the star goaltender will be away from the team while he takes part in the program.
The player's association did not specify why Price entered the program and said it would not provide further comment.
The news comes a day after Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said it would be unlikely that Price would be ready for the start of the season as he recovered from an unspecified illness.
Price is also recovering from off-season surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
Montreal opens its 2021-22 season Oct. 13 at Toronto.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2021.
The Canadian Press
