Just back from injury, Montreal's Carey Price will skip NHL's all-star game to rest

Montreal Canadiens goalkeeper Carey Price will not make his sixth all-star appearance this month.

The NHL club said Monday that Price will not participate in the league's 2019 all-star weekend, slated for Jan. 25-26 in San Jose, Calif. Per NHL policy, Price will be assessed a one-game suspension for withdrawing from the all-star game.

Price had been selected as a goaltender for the Atlantic Division's team, but he has been battling a nagging lower-body injury and the team believes taking the all-star break off will help him recover. He returned to the team on Thursday after not playing since Dec. 22.

"We took the time to discuss the situation with Carey and the medical group earlier today, and we all agreed that the best decision for him would be to rest and recuperate during the upcoming all-star break," Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said in a statement.

"Carey has had a nagging injury for some time, and we want to make sure to have him healthy and rested for the second half of the season. Carey is honoured to once again have been named to the NHL all-star game, and he is on board with the club's decision."

Vasilevskiy gets nod

Price participated in the all-star game in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017.

Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy has been named in his place on the Atlantic squad.

Vasilevskiy is 16-4-2 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .920 save percentage this season.

The 24-year-old missed 14 games earlier this season due to a broken left foot.

Vasilevskiy was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalkeeper last season when he went 44-17-3 with a 2.62 GAA and .920 save percentage. He tied for the league high in victories and in shutouts (eight).