The worst is confirmed for Patrik Laine
Poor Patrik Laine just can't seem to catch a break - the young phenom suffered a devastating blow during a preseason matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to Gazette, when the Canadiens were on a power play, forward Patrik Laine had a knee-on-knee collision with the Maple Leafs' Cédric Paré at the blue line and crumbled to the ice. Laine had to be helped off the ice by the medical staff and wasn't able to put any weight on his left leg.
The 25-year-old Paré, who has never played an NHL regular-season game and spent last season with the AHL's Colorado Eagles, was not penalized for the hit.
A visibly upset Laine took off his helmet and threw it while being helped to the locker-room. Video replays of the knee-on-knee hit didn't look good and it wouldn't be a surprise if Laine suffered a serious knee injury.
As per Liam McCormick from Oilers Daily, It's an extremely difficult situation for the Habs to handle. Any time a star players gets injured in a preseason game is disappointing, but Laine was also seeking a fresh start in Montreal after some hard years with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Laine spent the majority of last season in the Player's Assistance Program for mental health reasons, and was limited to just 18 games. Laine and the Canadiens had hoped he could rekindle his goal scoring talents in a new city, but this isn't the start they wanted to see.
According to Dr. Harjas Grewal from UBC, Laine may have potentially torn his ACL on the play which would end his season. A few more minor injuries are also possible that could be a shorter recovery time, but the Habs are still awaiting further tests.
Patrik Laine recently completed a stint in the NHLPA's players assistance program due to mental health struggles, and this situation certainly won't be helping his situation.
Source: Oilers Daily - The Gazette
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