The Montreal Canadiens received some great news on Wednesday when Patrik Laine made his long-awaited return to practice. The Finnish forward has yet to make his 2024-25 NHL debut due to a knee injury that he suffered during a preseason encounter with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Even though Laine was wearing a non-contact jersey, his teammates are thrilled that his situation is improving. The Canadiens currently own an uninspiring 7-10-2 record and are tied for averaging the 14th-fewest goals this season, making it easy to see how Laine’s eventual return could help his club.
Defenseman David Savard is one Montreal player who was excited to see the veteran sniper on the ice, stating that «it’s nice to have him back» and the feeling is likely mutual.
«It can feel like a long time when you’re not practicing with the team, you don’t see the guys as much,» Savard told Alexis Bélanger-Champagne of the Canadian Press, via Yahoo Sports. «We’ve made an effort to keep (Laine) involved as much as possible during team meetings, but it’s tougher when we’re on the road.»
«It’s great to see him and to know he’s close to returning to play.»
It’s been nearly a year since Laine last suited up for an NHL game. The former 2016 second-overall pick hasn’t played a game since he fractured his collarbone as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 14, 2023. Even though he could’ve returned before the season’s end, he sat out the rest of the year to prioritize his mental health.
Just when Laine needed a lifeline to get his career back on track, Montreal came calling.
The Canadiens acquired the struggling winger (and a 2026 second-rounder) from the Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris back in August. With Martin St. Louis’ club low on offensive game-changers, the hope was that Laine could rediscover his scoring touch in Montreal.
«There’s no better place to play,» Laine said about playing with the Canadiens during September’s team golf tournament.
The Canadiens will likely have to wait a few more weeks before seeing what Laine’s capable of. He only skated for about 15 minutes on Wednesday, according to Bélanger-Champagne, meaning he’ll have to log longer sessions without a non-contact jersey before he comes close to being in-game ready.
In the meantime, the Canadiens will spend the next few days before hosting the Vegas Golden Knights at Bell Centre on Saturday night.