Laine Out of Excuses with Canadiens vs 4 Nations Comments

Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine hopes the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off will provide the confidence boost he needs to turn his season around. But in discussing his limited ice time with the Habs, did Laine take accountability for his struggles, or was he subtly pointing fingers at his coach and teammates?

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When Laine returned from injury with the Canadiens, he was red hot. He scored power play goals at an unreal pace and the Canadiens went on a tear, winning several games and putting themselves in a playoff spot. Fans wondered if he could score in any situation other than a power play, but when the goals were coming, not too many people asked questions.

When the goals stopped and the Canadiens started losing again, it became a serious issue and Laine’s ice time started to drop.

He addressed his decreased role, acknowledging both his own underwhelming performance and the difficulties of playing limited minutes.

Laine Seemed to Suggest Less Ice Time Was Causing His Lower Production

“Do I wish to be out there more? Absolutely. Who doesn’t?” Laine said. “But when you’re out there for 10 minutes, it’s hard when you’re used to playing more. You’re not in the rhythm and all that. But you still gotta try to be out there and do your best.”

To many who are tired of Laine’s inconsistent play, that comment might sound like an excuse. To suggest his struggles are due to a lack of opportunity rather than poor play feels like he’s not taking responsibility. However, he later added, “Obviously, I haven’t been able to perform like I probably should. So I understand why I haven’t been playing as much as maybe normally.”

To his credit, Laine acknowledged the need to look in the mirror and take responsibility. But his hope that more ice time with Team Finland will restore his confidence raises another question: If he doesn’t turn things around after this international showcase, will he run out of excuses?

What Happens If Laine Isn’t Good at 4 Nations?

Laine isn’t alone in viewing the 4 Nations tournament as a potential reset. Elias Pettersson and Elias Lindholm have expressed similar hopes that playing alongside elite talent will help them rediscover their game. Both have struggled this season compared to expectations.

But, as one X.com user pointed out, “If they can’t find their confidence playing in a league of 32 teams of watered-down talent, how do they expect to find it with four teams of the best players in the world?”

This won’t be the last opportunity Laine gets to perform and turn things around. However, it might be the last time he can throw out excuses for his lack of production. Twice this season he’s made questionable remarks about his past and present teammates. His first comments came when he took a shot at his former Columbus Blue Jackets teammates for playing like they didn’t care to win. That led to the team targeting him physically when they played each other and Laine leaving the game early. This time, he’s suggesting that a lack of playing time is one of the reasons he’s not scoring.

If Laine goes off at the tournament and scores at will, maybe he’ll have a point. If he doesn’t, the time for excuses is over.

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