Carey Price has broken his silence on Chris Kreider joining Martin St-Louis and the Montreal Canadiens.
Kreider's arrival carries more history than most offseason signings in Montreal. For years, his name was tied to one of the Canadiens' most painful playoff memories.
Now the former Rangers forward is changing sides, and the reaction around Montreal has shifted sharply with him.
Kent Hughes landed the 35-year-old without surrendering a draft pick or a prospect, adding size, experience and another option for the top six.
Kreider also accepted a one-year contract worth $2.15 million, giving Montreal a veteran net-front presence without creating major financial pressure.
But before Kreider could fully turn the page in Montreal, one question remained: how did Price feel about seeing him wear a Canadiens jersey?
Carey Price puts the Chris Kreider history to rest
The connection goes back to the 2014 Eastern Conference final, when Kreider collided with Price during a rush toward the crease.
Price suffered a knee injury and couldn't continue the series. Montreal eventually fell to New York, and the sequence stayed with Canadiens fans long after that playoff run ended.
More than a decade later, Price has made his position clear.
"I have no hard feelings towards him. It was just a play, it was the playoffs, and everything happened very quickly. I don't blame him at all." - Carey Price on Chris Kreider
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That response changes the tone around Kreider's arrival. The player directly involved in the incident isn't carrying resentment into this new chapter.
For Canadiens fans, that gives Kreider a cleaner path into Montreal. His past with the Rangers won't disappear, but Price has removed much of the emotional weight surrounding it.
The focus now shifts to what Kreider can give St-Louis on the ice: strength around the crease, experience in heavy games and another option capable of handling top-six minutes.
Kreider once entered the Bell Centre as one of Montreal's most disliked opponents. He now arrives with Price's public backing and a chance to rewrite that relationship completely.
Should Canadiens fans finally move past the Chris Kreider-Carey Price incident?
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