Price hopes to stay a Hab, challenge for Stanley Cup
BrossArD, QuE.
Star goaltender Carey Price hopes to sign a new contract and stay with the Montreal Canadiens.
Price is due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season.
It will be up to management to decide if they want to lock him up for several years with Price a new deal or trade him in the off-season.
The Olympic gold medallist and former Vezina Trophy winner stated emphatically that he hopes to stay in Montreal.
He feels the Canadiens can find the pieces they need to take a shot at winning the Stanley Cup, even if they were disappointed in losing in the first round of playoffs to the New York Rangers.
Another question mark involves forward Alexander Radulov. The Russian made an impressive return to the NHL on a one-year deal with Montreal.
Radulov said he’d like to stay on but hadn’t yet discussed where he’ll be next season.
Veteran defenceman Andrei Markov went a step farther.
He joked that he hoped to have his contract extended for the rest of his life.
The 38-year-old is still a force on the blue line and is expected to be offered at least another two-year contract.
The Canadiens need help on offence. They finished first in the Atlantic Division this season but struggled to score goals in the playoffs.
But they feel they can stay in contention for a championship with stars like Price, Shea Weber and Max Pacioretty and with the development of young talent like Artturi Lehkonen.
FILottrANo, ItALy
The funeral of former Giro d’Italia winner Michele Scarponi will be on Tuesday in his hometown of Filottrano, near Ancona.
Scarponi, who won the Giro in 2011, died after a collision with a van while training near his home on Saturday. He was 37.
A service will be held in the town’s football stadium and will be officiated by Ancona cardinal, Edoardo Menichelli.
Italian National Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malago is expected to attend, along with the head of the Italian cycling federation, Renato Di Rocco, and numerous teammates and rivals, including Fabio Aru and Vincenzo Nibali.
Thousands of people have visited the chapel where Scarponi’s body lies.
Scarponi’s body was dressed in his Astana kit, while drawings by his four-year-old twin sons have been placed beside him in the coffin. Scarponi was awarded the 2011 Giro trophy after Alberto Contador was stripped of the title because of doping.
The Italian had also faced doping sanctions. He was banned for 18 months in July 2007 following the long-running Operation Puerto doping scandal, while he served a three-month suspension from the end of 2012 after working with the banned physician Michele Ferrari. Scarponi had been named as Astana’s leader for the upcoming Giro d’Italia, which starts in less than two weeks, after Aru pulled out with a knee injury.
Scarponi was one of the most liked riders on the circuit, with his sense of humour and jovial disposition. He often started training rides with his parrot on his shoulder, posting videos which quickly went viral.
The parrot, Frankie, has been seen perched on a signpost at the site of the accident, where flowers and tributes have been placed.