Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine and his previous team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, seem to be far from friendly terms.
Upon returning to Columbus for the first time since requesting a trade during the offseason, Laine faced a tough reception from fans and former teammates. Right from the start of the first period, fans booed him as soon as he got the puck, and shortly after, Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov delivered a hard hit, earning cheers from the home crowd.
Laine’s rough welcome likely stemmed from comments he made about the Blue Jackets earlier that day, where he expressed frustration with the team’s repeated struggles and lack of ambition. “I was just tired of losing and just giving up when it’s December to start focusing on next year,” he said, adding, “They’re a little too satisfied and too comfortable with where they’re at. It wasn’t really a fit for me anymore,” Laine remarked.
When asked during an intermission interview if Laine’s remarks led to Columbus’ aggressive play, forward Mathieu Olivier was evasive, saying, “No comment.”
Later in the first period, Montreal announced that Laine (upper body) might not return, as he played only six minutes in their 5-4 loss. Post-game, defenseman Zach Werenski criticized Laine’s earlier statements as “unacceptable,” mentioning, “We were nothing but good teammates to him” and expressing concern about Laine’s well-being that night.
Laine was acquired by the Blue Jackets in January 2021 in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets, yet his time with Columbus was marked by struggles, with the team never finishing higher than sixth in the Metropolitan Division and facing last-place finishes in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Monday’s events underscored that the split was ultimately the right decision for both parties.
