Montreal Canadiens fans breathed a sigh of relief once they learned Patrik Laine will only miss two to three months after suffering an injury during Saturday’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
However, part of that recovery timeframe seems to be the player’s own doing.
On Thursday, the Finnish winger shared insights about his recovery process. After consulting multiple doctors, he ultimately decided to let his knee heal naturally.
“I saw a couple [of doctors]… I got some good opinions,” Laine said, speaking with media in Mont Tremblant. “At the end of the day, it was my call to make, whatever we want to do.”
While the Canadiens’ medical team offered him full support, Laine emphasized that the final decision was his.
“The team and everybody else gave me all the help with that. At the end of the day, I decided not to do surgery, just do rehab and let it heal… it was my knee after all.”
The injury has been diagnosed as a left knee sprain, a far better outcome than many expected after watching the brutal collision, which saw the forward leave the ice immediately after an awkward fall.
Patrik Laine goes down after a knee-on-knee contact.
Doesn't look good. He had to leave the game. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/cXrNTOzK4L
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) September 28, 2024
While the 26-year-old is understandably disappointed, he’s grateful for the opportunity to join the team later in the upcoming campaign.
“I’d much rather be on the ice, but I kind of dodged a bullet with the knee. It could’ve been much worse,” he added.
Laine, who joined the Canadiens in an offseason trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, boasts 204 career goals in 480 games. Despite facing injury challenges in recent seasons and spending time in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program, his scoring ability should deliver some much-needed offence when he returns to game shape.
With one preseason matchup left on the calendar, the Canadiens will officially kick off their 2024-25 campaign on October 9 with a home game against the Maple Leafs.