Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price did not return practice today as scheduled due to a non-COVID-related illness, head coach Dominique Ducharme said on Monday.

“The plan is that he would’ve skated more. We are less confident now [that he will start the season on time]," said Ducharme. "If he misses the first game we don’t believe it’s going to drag too long. We’ll see. He’ll be back tomorrow and build from there.”

Ducharme said last week that the plan was for Price, who is recovering from offseason knee surgery, to be ready for the start of the season.

The 34-year-old posted a 12-7-5 record with a .901 save percentage and 2.64 goals-against average during the 2020-21 regular season.

He played 22 games during the Canadiens' playoff run, going 13-9-0 with a .924 save percentage and 2.28 GAA, helping the Habs to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1993.

Ducharme also provided injury updates on several other Canadiens players. Forward Mike Hoffman will skate this week after he failed his training camp physical due to a lower body injury.

Defenceman Joel Edmundson's recovery from injury is taking longer than expected and he will be further examined with the results to  come later in the week.

Forward Cole Caufield returned to practice after injuring his shoulder in a fall during the team's red vs. white intrasquad game. Ducharme said Caufield's absence was precautionary and that he is 100 per cent healthy.