The Montreal Canadiens have longed for steady goalscoring since the early 1990's.
Max Pacioretty had been a steady contributor, then Cole Caufield after him, and before them, Alex Kovalev had potential, though he wasn't around for long. But there hasn't been a player who can shoot the puck like Patrik Laine around Montreal for a long time. Unfortunately for Laine, he hasn't been at the level he expects of himself since 2017-18.
It's obvious that he still has the big shot, but many variables limited him from the production that he had been accustomed to. A stint with the National Hockey League Player's Association for personal reason being a major one. Then the fit in Columbus wasn't right for whatever reason and he is now hoping to have a clean slate and get the ball rolling on his productive ways again.
With a roster of players that are hungry to reach the next level and a coach who is renowned for getting the best out of his players, the thought of Laine getting back to scoring at a 40-50-goal pace doesn't seem so out of reach anymore.
A chip on his shoulder - and the Habs brass in his corner
Laine knows all too well that he can shoot the puck better than most of the best shooters in the NHL, so the fact that he hasn't been able to do that has been frustrating. But he is set to return to the league and do so in Montreal, the hotbed of hockey in Canada. You could argue that it is one of the hottest markets in the entire league.
With a fanbase that is diehard for the team, it will be hard for Laine to avoid the spotlight, and while he won't shoulder all of the expectations, he will be relied upon for goals. That is exactly what he plays the game to do, electrify the arena with his all-world offensive skills and devastating shot. But there is also a hunger to win the holy grail (Stanley Cup) and with an up-and-coming team, Montreal could be just where he needs to be.
Caufield will score goals, and the same can be said for Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, but I'm not convinced anybody will be able to do it like Laine. I suspect that the crowd will be buzzing during his first shift and once the puck touches his stick it will be waiting to erupt. Laine felt the Winnipeg craziness, but Montreal is different, every player that visits for a game can feel the energy and it isn't hard to get excited for the Bell Centre.
Many are wondering if Laine can score like he did before, and if he can stay motivated after Columbus was a bit of a dud. But the city of Montreal, Martin St. Louis and a team that is ready to turn some heads is much different. If Marty could get the best out of Caufield and help Slafkovsky gain his confidence, surely Laine would be another brick in the wall.