The honeymoon phase for Patrik Laine in Montreal hasn’t just ended; it has completely evaporated. As the Finnish sniper nears a return from the core muscle surgery that sidelined him in October 2025, he is walking back into a locker room that may no longer have a place for him. With the Canadiens currently deadlocked in an intense battle for the Atlantic Division lead and boasting a 68% chance of making the playoffs, the team’s new identity has been forged in his absence—and local experts are sounding the alarm that Laine’s «fourth chance» might be his last.
The «Gonzo» Verdict: No Room for Foot-Dragging
The debate reached a boiling point this week on BPM Sports, where analysts Georges Laraque and Stéphane «Gonzo» Gonzalez delivered a brutal assessment of the star’s future. For Gonzalez, the verdict is final: «For me, unfortunately, it’s over for Patrik Laine.» Despite Laine’s elite 6’5″ frame and a shot that was once the envy of the NHL, the consensus among critics is that his lack of consistent effort has become a liability. «You’ve got a guy who’s an elite shooter… but he’s a guy who drags his feet,» Gonzalez added, emphasizing that while fans expected 40 goals, they’ve instead seen a player who has missed 42 of the team’s 47 games this season.
A Superstar Surplus? The Canadiens’ Winning Formula
While Laine sat on the sidelines, the Canadiens didn’t just survive; they thrived. Led by Nick Suzuki and a surging core of young talent, Montreal has found a chemistry that Laine struggled to match in his brief 5-game stint (where he recorded 0 goals and only 1 assist).
Laraque noted the tragic irony of Laine’s situation: on paper, he has the physical tools to lead the team and form the NHL’s most dangerous line alongside Suzuki and Cole Caufield. However, the «Gonzo and Laraque» consensus is that Montreal no longer has the luxury of waiting for Laine to «find his game» while the team is in a win-now playoff push.
The Last Chance Saloon
Drafted 2nd overall in 2016, Laine’s pedigree ensures he will get one more look from head coach Martin St-Louis. But the leash has never been shorter. With only 33 points in 52 games last season and a disastrous start to the 2025-26 campaign, Laine is no longer an «automatic» top-line player.
If he doesn’t buy into the team’s high-energy system immediately upon his return, one of the NHL’s most gifted natural scorers could find himself watching the most important games of the season from the press box. For Patrik Laine, the clock in Montreal isn’t just ticking—it’s about to strike midnight.