Patrik Laine's Knee Injury: How the Canadiens Dodged a Bullet

Patrik Laine hobbled off in the early stages of the first period during Saturday's 2-1 preseason loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old forward had a knee-on-knee collision with Maple Leafs' forward Cedric Pare. He appeared injured and needed to be helped off the ice. Laine never returned after that incident, raising some question marks about his regular season availability.

The following day, Patrik Laine was seen on crutches at practice for the Montreal Canadiens, his knee in a hinged brace, one surefire sign that the injury was serious. On a day that saw the team release news that David Reinbacher would be out five to six months, Habs fans began to fear the worst regarding Laine.

The team may have just dodged a bullet as they have just released a statement that Patrik Laine will not require surgery, and instead will be out two to three months with a left knee sprain.

Patrik Laine became a Canadien on August 19 after being traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 6-foot-2, 191-pound forward recorded six goals and nine points in 18 games with Columbus last season before leaving hockey. He took time away from the game due to personal issues and entered the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program in January but was cleared for reinstatement in July. The fact that he could return and contribute in his abbreviated time was an encouraging omen for both the fans and the organization; now, he faces a setback once again, however, at the end of the day, it could have been a lot worse.

Patrik Laine was the second overall draft pick in 2016 by the Winnipeg Jets just after Auston Matthews was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his 480 career NHL games, Laine has scored 204 goals and added 184 assists, for 388 points. He has been dealing with multiple injuries over the last few years, which has limited his playing time and production. He has shown the ability to score goals throughout his career, but perhaps a high mark was a 44-goal season in 2017-18 while with the Winnipeg Jets. He was dealt to the Blue Jackets on January 23, 2021, along with Jack Roslovic, in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois, a trade that was considered one of the bigger changes of scenery around the league. With his booming shot and offensive creativity, Patrik Laine can change the outlook of a game in a hurry.

The Montreal Canadiens had been quite excited to see what Patrik Laine might add to the mix as they seek a run this season. This newest injury means they will have to shuffle lines and develop a new strategy for the next two to three months. Coach Martin St. Louis is still going to remain optimistic, yet the team will take all the necessary precautions in ensuring that Laine's health is first. But for now, everybody's eyes and hopes rest on his recovery, that Laine might get back into the lineup soon enough and back to what he did best, which was finding the back of the net while bringing hockey fans out of their seats with his scoring touch.