Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine suffered a potentially serious knee injury in Saturday’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after a knee-on-knee collision with Cedric Paré early in the first period.
The incident occurred as Laine entered the Leafs’ zone (h/t Marc Dumont for the clip) and his left knee collided with Paré’s, bending awkwardly in the wrong direction.
Laine lay on the ice in visible pain for several minutes before being helped off without putting weight on his left leg.
Shortly after the Canadiens’ 2–1 loss, Laine was seen leaving the Bell Centre on crutches and wearing a knee brace, according to Patrick Friolet of RDS.
That development doesn’t bode well for the forward’s chances of avoiding a long-term injury about a week from the start of the regular season.
While the exact nature of the injury is unclear, Dr. Harjas Grewal, a sports medicine specialist, outlined potential scenarios ranging from a torn ACL or MCL to a meniscus tear or bone bruise. An MRI will provide more clarity, but Laine’s status remains uncertain for the time being.
According to Grewal, Laine could miss from a few days (bone bruise) to the full season in the worst-case scenario (ACL tear). The doctor also noted that there is also the chance of Laine having suffered multiple injuries, not just one, which would aggravate the situation further.
Laine has dealt with various injuries throughout his career, including a clavicle injury last season while with the Columbus Blue Jackets that limited him to just 18 regular-season games before calling it a year.
The Canadiens acquired Laine in a trade this summer with the forward hoping for a fresh start after requesting a trade from his former franchise. This latest setback, however, raises questions about whether he will be available at any point next season, let alone for the regular season opener on October 10.
Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis offered a brief comment after the game, saying he “did not have immediate postgame updates” at that moment, via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
“Hopefully it’s not too serious,” St. Louis said.
