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Montreal Canadiens Patrik Laine Out Long-Term Sniper Patrik Laine has had a rollercoaster tenure with the Canadiens. Montreal traded defenceman Jordan Harris in exchange for taking on Laine and his $8.7 million cap hit. The Habs also received a second-round draft pick in the deal. However, Laine missed the first three months of the 2024-25 campaign following a pre-season injury. Upon his return, his power play prominence helped Montreal reach the postseason. Laine finished the year with 33 points, including 20 goals in 52 games. Laine had gotten off to a poor start to the 2025-26 season with only one assist in five contests. The forward was playing on the team’s fourth line alongside Jake Evans and Josh Anderson, as well as Montreal’s second power play unit. Laine has struggled at five-on-five since joining the Canadiens. His demotion to the fourth line was likely a result of this. It’s unclear where Laine will fit in the Canadiens lineup upon his expected return in February-March. What This Means Laine’s absence means that Joe Veleno now has a full-time spot on the team. Prospects like Owen Beck and Joshua Roy have auditioned this season but have struggled. Veleno doesn’t bring the offensive impact of Laine, however, he is more suited for the fourth-line role that Laine was slotted in. The Canadiens lines are a bit lacklustre right now as Zack Bolduc is on the fourth line along with Kirby Dach and Joe Veleno. With Laine out until the trade deadline and Kirby Dach’s health concerns, Montreal might look to make a trade to bolster its offence. This could be in the form of a centre or a winger. However, with Laine out for the majority of the year, Montreal could use an offensive boost. His return is expected to fall around or just before the trade deadline. Once he returns, the Canadiens offence could look much different. Given the proposed timeline, another issue could arise as a result. With the 2026 Winter Olympics coming in February, it would definitely put Laine’s availability in question. It is possible he could be important part of Team Finland, especially following a strong start to 2025-26. At this point, it will have to be a wait-and-see scenario, but it doesn’t look good.
