Canadiens Receive Concerning Patrik Laine Injury Update

Veteran NHL winger Patrik Laine was excited about a fresh start with the Montreal Canadiens after being traded to the franchise this summer. It was a rough year for the 26-year-old, who was released from the NHL Player Assistance Program back in July .

Unfortunately, Laine's time in Montreal got off to a scary start. The Finnish winger suffered a horrific knee injury after colliding with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cedric Pare during Saturday's preseason matchup, just over a month after he was traded to the Canadiens.

Montreal fans are now wondering when they can expect to see Laine back on the ice. Judging by the latest injury update, though, a return might not happen any time soon.

Laine was spotted on the bench with a knee brace and crutches during Monday's practice, per Canadiens insider Renaud Lavoie. While an official diagnosis hasn't been reached, the fact that the former 2016 second-overall pick can't walk on his own power is concerning.

Judging by what we've seen from Laine following Saturday's game, it appears that he could be dealing with a torn ACL. While every athlete heals differently, Athletic Edge Sports Medicine suggests that a typical ACL recovery time varies between eight and 12 months .

Regardless of how long he's out for, the injury is a major blow for any potential comeback attempts. Laine was hoping to return to form with his new team after registering just six goals and three assists in 18 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets last season.

The 2024-25 NHL campaign is likely being a wash for him, so Laine must focus on recovering before attempting a comeback next year. The 2026-27 season marks the final year of the $34.8 million contract extension he signed with the Blue Jackets back in July 2022.

With the new season starting in less than two weeks, the latest Laine injury news couldn't have come at a worse time. Here's a look at how some Canadiens fans are reacting to Lavoie's update on social media.

"Need immediate update on the details," one concerned fan said. "All this speculation is killing me. Obviously, it's bad, but how bad?"

"I wish the NHL was as transparent as the NFL with their injury updates," another frustrated fan chimed in. "I wanna know the extent of (Laine's) injury)."

"It's just nice to see Patrik Laine watching his Habs teammates at practice, even if he is on crutches," said an optimistic Canadiens supporter.

Laine is one of the NHL's most exciting players when he's on his game, so let's hope he makes a full recovery.

In the meantime, the Canadiens will attempt to get revenge for Laine when they open the 2024-25 season against the Maple Leafs on Oct. 9.