Canadiens’ Patrik Laine leaves preseason game against Maple Leafs after knee-on-knee

Montreal Canadiens’ forward Patrik Laine left Saturday’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury.

The team would confirm via social media that Laine would not return to the game.

The injury occurred just minutes into the affair when Laine entered the Maple Leafs’ zone and made knee-on-knee contact with Toronto forward Cedric Pare. Laine would stay down and require assistance getting off the ice.

Cameras saw Laine toss his helmet in frustration while team staff helped him to the locker room.

Soon after Laine left the game, Canadiens’ defenseman Arber Xhekaj went after Pare, throwing several punches at the Maple Leafs’ forward while he was on the ice. Xhekaj was given a five-minute major for fighting, two minutes for instigating, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct, giving him a total of 27 penalty minutes.

The 26-year-old Laine was traded to Montreal by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the offseason. Last year, Laine scored six goals and three assists for nine points in just 18 regular-season games, as he spent most of the season dealing with both injuries and with the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He was cleared to play by the NHL on July 26.

Entering his ninth NHL season, Laine, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, has scored 204 goals and 184 assists for 388 points in 480 regular-season games with the Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets.

On Friday, Daily Faceoff writer Steven Ellis wrote on what a successful 2024-25 season would look like for Laine. You can read it here.