Price's journey back to full health is only just beginning

Gino Reda and the TSN Hockey Insiders discuss the struggles Carey Price continues battle off the ice and when he could return to the ice, the Ducks' decision to place GM Bob Murray on administrative leave, Bill Guerin's unclear situation with USA Hockey ahead of the Olympics, and the NHLPA seeking a law firm to handle their investigation.

Is there a sense that this is just the beginning of Carey Price’s journey?

Pierre LeBrun: Yes. And [Price] stressed the uncertainty of when he would play again and that’s important to note because the Habs themselves don’t quite know when that’s going to be. He’s back at the facility, he’s training but it’s important to note that he’s been off the ice for 40 days or so while he was away, so don’t expect him to play anytime soon. 
 
That’s not the priority right now, it’s getting well and you think about the impact that Carey Price is going to have by making that statement, seeking out help, and impacting a lot of young athletes who perhaps will also feel brave enough to seek out help. It’s a tremendous story. We tip the cap to Carey Price.
 
As far as his team on the ice, I don’t expect a major shakeup here. I don’t think there’s a trade that solves the issues for the Montreal Canadiens. I think [GM] Marc Bergevin is going to be patient and the solution lies within that dressing room.

Bob Murray, executive VP and GM of the Anaheim Ducks, has been placed on administrative leave due to “accusations of improper personal conduct.” Do we know anything more about the situation?

Darren Dreger: That’s the essence of what we know. We have had the opportunity to speak to a couple of sources. It sounds like, according to sources, the allegations are based on how Bob Murray dealt with coaches and staff members. The threatening of job security, the threatening of being berated, that type of behaviour. We’ll see what comes out of the investigation, which was also included in the statement issued by the Anaheim Ducks. 
 
I’m reminded, going back several days, when commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly held their media conference and they made it abundantly clear that no matter what it is, anything deemed to be inappropriate with any of the 32 clubs in the NHL needs to be reported so this could be a byproduct of that.
 
Chris Johnston: What’s significant in this situation is the order of events. There had already been an investigation started into Bob Murray’s conduct after a complaint or multiple complaints were brought forward and then they’ve decided to place him on this leave and have Jeff Solomon replace him on an interim basis.
 
That, to me, suggests that there was enough to make this move now. It’s not the case that they’re doing this and trying to figure out what went on. Based on what they’ve seen they’ve taken this rather large step. Now it’s an independent investigation on a general manager who was in the final year of his contract with the Anaheim Ducks.

Could the news coming out of Pittsburgh have any bearing on USA Hockey’s search for a GM to prepare for the Olympics Games?

Johnston: It could, because Bill Guerin’s situation with USA Hockey is not clear at all. I’ve reached out on multiple occasions to see what they’re going to do with the vacant general manager’s post for the U.S. Men’s Olympic team in Beijing and I’ve received no response at this point in time. 
 
The news you were referencing, Gino, is that the Pittsburgh Penguins have reached a settlement with Erin and Jarrod Skalde. That does free Bill Guerin from potentially being part of a lawsuit. He was expected to be named in that lawsuit, dating back to his time with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. That’s not going to happen now but he’s still under investigation by U.S. SafeSport and where he stands and what’s going with on [with] Team USA is a mystery. And we’re only a couple of months away from the games.

The NHLPA voted to conduct an independent investigation on the way the Players’ Association handled the Kyle Beach affair. Is there any new news on that front?

Dreger: Just that the Players’ Association is dealing with the logistics. Continuing to meet with potential law firms who will manage and oversee this independent investigation. You can appreciate that it is a lengthy process, not just to get to this point but to go through the investigation. The expectation is that they will have a law firm in place, perhaps, by the end of this week, or early next week.