Former Victoria Royals captain part of Carey Price trade with San Jose Sharks

A familiar name for Victoria hockey fans is at the centre of a major salary dump for the Montreal Canadiens.

The Habs announced today they traded the contract of goaltender Carey Price and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in return for former Victoria Royals captain Gannon Laroque.

For Montreal, this deal centers on finances. Price, 37, is in the last year of his eight-year, $84 million contract, which carries a $10.5 million cap hit.

The Canadiens had already paid his $5.5 million signing bonus on September 1st, leaving just $2 million in salary remaining. However, this still represents a heavy burden on their salary cap.

By moving the contract now rather than waiting until the regular season to shift him onto long-term injured reserve, Montreal gains immediate flexibility to improve its roster.

See also: 

• Victoria Royals name Gannon Laroque as the team’s next captain
• 2 Victoria Royals players named to Winnipeg Jets ‘Prospects Showdown’ roster

Price has not played since 2022 due to a career-ending knee injury. He is still seen as one of the best goalies of his generation.

Laroque: From Royals captain to player in a trade

On the other side of this trade is Gannon Laroque, a player with strong ties to Victoria.

Laroque developed in the Royals organization after signing as a free agent and earned the captain’s role for the 2021–22 season. That year, he scored 10 goals and 52 points in 63 games, proving himself as one of the top defensemen in the WHL.

His leadership and consistent performance earned him praise from former Royals GM and head coach Dan Price, who called him “the perfect example of work ethic, passion, and professionalism.”

Laroque’s progress also attracted the attention of NHL scouts, leading the San Jose Sharks to select him in the 2021 NHL Draft and sign him shortly after.

Since then, he has split his time between the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) and Wichita Thunder (ECHL), striving to establish himself at the professional level.

Though this deal is primarily a contract move for Montreal, it brings Gannon Laroque into the local spotlight. For Royals fans, it serves as a reminder of how far the once-undrafted defenseman has come, from joining Victoria’s lineup to captaining the team, and now being part of one of the biggest salary cap trades of the summer.

For Montreal, the focus is on financial relief. For Victoria, it is a proud moment to see a former Royals captain involved in a trade with a player bound for the Hockey Hall of Fame.