The Montreal Canadiens have announced that Patrik Laine will be sidelined for three to four months following surgery to repair a core muscle. With the Olympics set to begin on February 6, Laine’s recovery timeline may jeopardize his participation.

Laine was previously last on the ice on October 16 against the Nashville Predators and has yet to return to the lineup, as he has been dealing with a lower body injury. In five games this season, he recorded one assist, while he had 33 points last season, including 20 goals and 13 assists.

This year was to be Laine’s first opportunity to compete for Finland in the Olympics, as the NHL is allowing players to participate for the first time since 2014.

International Experience

Laine’s international experience includes participation in the World Junior Championship in 2016 and earning silver medals in both the IIHF World Championship and the IIHF World U18 Championship. He previously contributed three assists during three games in the Nations Face-Off while representing Finland last season.

Finland captured its first Olympic men’s ice hockey gold medal in 2022, overcoming the Russian Olympic Committee. However, the upcoming journey to defend that title has already hit some snags with key players like Aleksander Barkov, who will miss several months due to an ACL and MCL injury, along with others such as Juuso Valimaki, Kaapo Kakko, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who have also missed the start of the NHL season due to injuries.

Laine joined the Canadiens in 2024, after stints with the Winnipeg Jets and the Columbus Blue Jackets.