Is Patrik Laine on the cusp of an early return?
Patrik Laine looked relatively healthy in the Bell Centre's press box.
The initial prognosis for Patrik Laine's knee injury was an MCL sprain that would keep him out of the lineup until around December. Losing Laine for the first three months wasn't ideal, but it wasn't as bad as it initially looked. When we saw the hit in the preseason, it looked like Laine could miss the year with a badly damaged knee. Therefore, three months felt like the best-case scenario. However, after less than a month on the shelf, Apron Basu's chance encounter with Laine in the press box could give fans even more hope.
Patrik Laine just walked by me on his way to the press box and the massive brace he had on his leg is now gone. Wasn’t even walking with too much of a noticeable limp.
— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) October 26, 2024
A sprained MCL would require a brace for most of the recovery and would result in a player walking with at least a noticeable limp. The fact that Laine is walking around the press box without a limp or a brace makes me wonder if he's closer to returning than the initial prognosis suggests. Laine would need a week or two of skating before he returns to game action, but that doesn't feel as far away if Laine already looks this good. You can't entirely go by Basu's quick view of Laine walking through the press box, but it's a good sign of his recovery.
Laine will be a massive help for the Canadiens. He hasn't played a game with the Habs in the regular season, but his presence is noticeable when looking at the team's depth. Dach hasn't been able to get his season going on a line with Alex Newhook, and adding Laine to form the second-line trio should boost both players. It'll also return Joel Armia to the bottom six, where he should be playing. Juraj Slafkovsky and Laine's return will put Oliver Kapanen back on the third line, which gives the Canadiens three good lines.
Will Laine all of a sudden turn the Canadiens into a playoff contender? No, mostly because he doesn't give any positive value on defense and his sheer presence won't elevate the blue line. However, it'll give the fanbase some excitement in a season that has been lacking it. The fans entered this season dreaming of a dynamic duo of Cole Caufield and Laine scoring goals on seperate lines. Caufield has held his end of the bargain. Will Laine do the same?
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