Less than a week after suffering a sprained knee that will keep him out of the Montreal Canadiens lineup for at least two to three months, Patrik Laine addressed the controversial hit that caused his injury and his choice to avoid surgery.
In a press conference on Thursday, Laine expressed no resentment towards Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cedric Pare, who injured him during a knee-to-knee collision on September 28. Laine even accepted some responsibility for the incident. Pare echoed this sentiment after the game, stating, “It wasn’t my intention,” and wishing Laine a speedy recovery. After consulting multiple medical opinions about his injury, Laine decided against surgery, choosing instead to let it heal naturally while undergoing rehabilitation. He emphasized that the decision was entirely his, but he acknowledged the Canadiens and their medical team for their support.
This is a significant setback for Laine, who has not played a full season since 2018-19. His absence leaves a noticeable gap in the Habs’ second line, which will require contributions from players like Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook to fill the void.
Acquired from the Blue Jackets in August, Laine was expected to provide a scoring boost for the Canadiens, having scored 20 or more goals in six of his eight NHL seasons. Although he will need to wait a couple of months to make his debut in a Montreal jersey, the 26-year-old remains hopeful about the future, recognizing that his injury “could’ve been much worse.”
