Patrik Laine was a part of the practice with the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, and in a regular jersey. This is good news for the team.
Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine took a significant step in his recovery from a preseason knee injury, practicing in a regular, full-contact jersey on Monday. The 26-year-old winger had been sidelined since the offseason trade that sent him to Montreal from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris and a draft pick.
While there is still no clear timeline on his first game back, Laine’s return to full-contact drills signals he’s getting closer to rejoining the Canadiens lineup in the near future. In 18 games with Columbus last season, the 6-foot-4 winger tallied six goals and nine points, showcasing his ability to be an offensive threat, even in smaller windows.
The Canadiens, in last place in a competitive Atlantic Division. They may only have 16 points, but they are not out of it yet. But, as American Thanksgiving arrives, this is typically a good indicator of how tough it is for teams who aren’t in a playoff spot to put themselves in one. The Canadiens will welcome Laine’s scoring touch as they look to defy the odds.
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Montreal also recalled forward Joshua Roy from the Laval Rocket of the AHL. The 21-year-old has been a standout performer in Laval, registering eight goals and 16 points in 17 games this season. Roy also appeared in 23 NHL games last season, posting four goals and nine points, and is expected to provide depth in the lineup.