While the nature of Patrik Laine’s injury remains unclear, Montreal Canadiens fans are bracing for the worst upon seeing the 26-year-old forward leave Saturday’s preseason game after sustaining a nasty knee-on-knee collision.
That did not look good š¬
Patrik Laine headed to the locker room after this knee-on-knee. pic.twitter.com/8T5yn3QfOz
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) September 28, 2024
No one, however, is more disappointed than Laine himself.
In an interview with Winnipeg Free Press reporter Mike McIntyre, Nikolaj Ehlers, Laine’s former Winnipeg Jets teammate, expressed sympathy for the Finnish sniper, reflecting on the mental toll of recurring injuries.
āI know what it feels like,” Ehlers shared. “You come back, you feel good, you get ready to go, and then something happens again, and youāre out for a long time. You feel like itās a cycle that just wonāt stop.ā
āHeās obviously rattled right now.ā
I spoke with #NHLJets forward Nikolaj Ehlers today about the serious injury suffered by best buddy Patrik Laine on Saturday night.
Heās talked with Laine. Hereās what Ehlers had to say. Full story to come for @WinnipegNews
š pic.twitter.com/RccNpWptfW
— Mike McIntyre (@mikemcintyrewpg) September 30, 2024
Laine, who was traded to the Canadiens by the Columbus Blue Jackets over the summer, has not played a regular season game since last December. After recently opening up about his mental health struggles, many saw the three-time 60+ point scorer as poised for a much-needed fresh start in Montreal. Unfortunately, that momentum has been halted by another injury that could keep him out of the lineup for an extended period.
Acknowledging the unfortunate timing of Laineās injury, Ehlers emphasized his friend’s positive outlook going into his Montreal tenure.
“Patty was in a good mindset, really excited to play for Montreal, and I think the Canadiens were excited to have him too,” Ehlers explained. “It was a fresh start for him. But again, injuries happen.”
Despite the setback, Ehlers reassured fans that Laine is handling it with resilience.
“Iāve already spoken with him,” Ehlers continued. “Heās rattled, for sure, but heās focused on coming back even stronger. That takes some serious mental strength. Heās in a good place, despite everything thatās happened.”
With the recovery timeline for prospect David Reinbacher (who was also injured in Saturday’s preseason game) set for five to six months, the Canadiens are expected to soon paint a realistic picture of when Laine could be back.
With or without the 6-foot-5 winger, the Habs will officially kick off their 2024-25 campaign on October 9 with a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.