Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price told the media Monday that he currently doesn't anticipate retiring from the team, at least not in the near future, as some fans had feared.

"We'll have to take it step by step," he said at a press conference. "I don't have a plan to retire right at this moment."

A knee injury has kept Price away from the rink. Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes said in August that the injury could keep him out of the 2022-2023 season entirely.

"Right now my goal is to be pain-free from day to day," the goalie said Monday. He said he still has difficulty getting up and down stairs. "My first priority is just to get my body in a place to where I'm pain-free."

He described the injury and recovery process as an "emotional roller coaster."

"It's frustrating, no question."

"You go from being in the Stanley Cup Final" in 2021 "to be sitting here today [...] It's not a position I envision myself being in."

As for next steps, Price committed to continuing with rehab, even though he admitted it hasn't been successful. He said others with a similar injury have confided that it took them a year to "start feeling normal."

"I'm still holding out hope."

He described the prospect of an additional surgical intervention as "worrisome."

"In my opinion, it's a little risky for my quality of life."

"It's kind of something I would consider if my quality of life is not at a place where I feel is acceptable and I'm really struglling in my day to day living."