Elliotte Friedman Delivers Disappointing Update for Canadiens Fans on Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher
Following what appeared to be two devastating injuries to Canadiens players against the Leafs last game, Elliotte Friedman has provided some very bad news.
The Montreal Canadiens are cautiously optimistic but preparing for the worst as they await word on a knee injury to Patrik Laine. In a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Laine was in a knee-to-knee collision with forward Cedric Pare. Laine had to be helped off the ice, and there were immediate fears the injury could be serious. It has really put a cloud over what was supposed to be Laine's bounce-back season with his new team.
As for Cedric Pare, the 25-year-old forward who instigated the collision, his career to date has mostly been spent in the AHL and ECHL. He's an unheralded player with slim prospects of making the full-time NHL roster, which makes this incident all the more frustrating. Pare's hit on Patrik Laine wasn't just unfortunate, it broke one of the NHL's unwritten rules. According to Elliotte Friedman on the "32 Thoughts" podcast, Pare's knee-on-knee collision crossed a line that NHL players are expected to respect, even during the preseason.
Preseason injuries are nothing new, but Patrik Laine's is getting extra attention because of the circumstances surrounding it. The NHL has to count heavily on its stars for buzz and dollars, and to see so many top-flight players already down before the regular season has begun is not good for the league's business. Elliotte Friedman also provided a very grim update when discussing the health of both Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher, another Habs player who was seen leaving the game in crutches. Fans of the Canadiens will not be pleased one bit with what Friedman had to say.
Patrik Laine has struggled for health over the past couple of seasons and managed only 18 games last year with the Columbus Blue Jackets. His time in Columbus was ruined by injuries and he even spent some time in the NHL's player assistance program due to some personal issues he was dealing with at the time. The Canadiens had hoped the fresh start would get Laine back to his form as one of the NHL's leading scorers. This new setback certainly makes them, along with all fans, anxiously waiting for further medical assessment results.
Patrik Laine was one of the players scheduled to be headlined as a player to watch in 2024-25; losing him for any amount of time will hurt the Canadiens on the ice and dampen some excitement for the upcoming season. Things got more interesting when Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj decided he wanted to take matters into his own hands. Xhekaj, in defense of his teammate, unloaded on Cedric Pare with a series of punches. While the NHL Department of Player Safety did fine Xhekaj for unsportsmanlike conduct, he did not get suspended, most likely because Pare's hit itself had already crossed the "code" of player conduct. Some think Xhekaj's actions, while aggressive, were somewhat warranted due to circumstance.
The situation for the Canadiens isn't great. They got Patrik Laine's acquisition, hoping he would bring the spark this team was in dire need of, and now his future is in question. The situation with Pare's hit is nothing but an addition to the frustration. As Laine undergoes further testing and evaluations, all Montreal can hope for is that their star player isn't out of action too long as they prepare for what could be an excruciating beginning to another very long season.
