Laine Exits Canadiens Preseason Game with Injury
Damion Davis
Forward suffers leg injury after knee-on-knee collision early in the first period
Patrik Laine left Saturday’s preseason game between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs due to an apparent leg injury following a knee-on-knee collision.
The Canadiens announced that Laine would not return for the remainder of the game.
The incident occurred at 3:49 of the first period when Laine collided with Toronto forward Cedric Pare at Bell Centre in Montreal. Laine, the Canadiens’ key offseason acquisition, was helped off the ice and did not return.
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis did not provide an immediate update on Laine’s condition after the game but expressed concern.
“If you know you can get him back to his own standards, it’s pretty exciting,” St. Louis said. “I feel we’ve done a good job of integrating him, and he was starting to feel more comfortable, so it’s tough to see him go down like that. Hopefully, it’s not too serious.”
Essential Offseason Addition for the Canadiens
Laine, 26, was acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on August 19.
This move marked a significant one for the Canadiens, who have struggled in recent seasons.
They finished last in the Atlantic Division for three consecutive years. Last season, Montreal posted a 30–36–16 record.
Laine’s 2022–23 season was cut short after he suffered a broken clavicle, limiting him to just 18 games. In those games, he recorded nine points (six goals, three assists).
His last appearance came on December 14. He later entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on January 28 and was cleared to return on July 26.
Laine’s Career So Far
Selected second overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2016 NHL Draft, Laine has established himself as a dynamic goal scorer.
Over his career, he has amassed 388 points (204 goals, 184 assists) in 480 NHL games with the Jets and Blue Jackets. He also has 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Laine’s best season came in 2017–18 when he tallied a career-high 44 goals with the Jets, following a 36-goal rookie season in 2016–17.
A six-time 20-goal scorer, Laine scored 22 goals during the 2022–23 season despite missing significant time due to injuries.
However, due to various injuries and challenges, he has played just 129 out of 246 games (52.4 percent) in the past three seasons.
Canadiens’ Top Prospect David Reinbacher Also Injured
In addition to Laine’s exit, Canadiens defenseman prospect David Reinbacher also left the game after a hit along the boards from Toronto’s Marshall Rifai shortly after the opening face-off.
Reinbacher, the №5 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had to be helped to the dressing room after heading to the bench.