Canadiens' Patrik Laine Out 2-3 Months with Sprained Knee, Hindering Playoff Hopes

Tuesday, October 1st, 2024

Patrik Laine, a winger for the Montreal Canadiens, will be sidelined for two to three months due to a knee sprain.

Laine sustained the injury following a knee-on-knee collision with Cedric Pare of Toronto during a preseason loss on Saturday. Replays indicated that Laine's knee twisted unnaturally, causing him to collapse on the ice.

Pare avoided a penalty for the incident, but a confrontation with Arber Xhekaj led to Xhekaj receiving a misconduct penalty and a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct. Laine was examined on Monday and does not need surgery.

The Canadiens traded for Laine in August from Columbus after he expressed a desire to leave. Known for his scoring ability, Laine joined a promising young squad under the guidance of Martin St. Louis.

Due to Laine's absence, Montreal will need to readjust their top-six forward lineup, which comprises Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky.

Montreal will wrap up their preseason games against Ottawa on Tuesday and Saturday before kicking off the regular season against Toronto on October 9.

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