Montreal Canadiens

Will the Laine Ice Time Dispute with Canadiens End Positively?

The Montréal Canadiens Patrick Laine and his coach Martin St. Louis are disputing over ice time. Can this end well for the Canadiens?

by
Old Prof
February 19, 2025

Patrik Laine hasn’t been shy about voicing his frustration over his limited ice time with the Montreal Canadiens. He spoke up recently during the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, saying it would be nice to get more than 10 or 11 minutes per game. It’s clear he’s not happy with how things have been going. Although he admitted he’s made mistakes, too, it’s pretty obvious he wants more opportunities to show what he can do.

Canadiens Head Coach Martin St. Louis Responded to Laine

When asked about Laine’s comments, Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis didn’t hold back. He responded bluntly, saying, “If you play 11 minutes, prove to me that you can play more. My job is to push Patty.” St. Louis made it clear that if Laine wants more ice time, he will have to earn it. He also hinted that the mentality for the rest of the season will shift—players need to prove they deserve the minutes they get.

On the face of it, Laine’s complaining would seem misguided. Why not go out and earn the time? No right-minded coach would keep his best goal-scorer on the bench if he wants to win games. Why would Laine risk building tension between the coach and himself? Seems like a silly thing for Laine to do.

However, could all this turn out better than anyone anticipated? Could it become the personal wake-up call Laine needs? He’s got the skill and potential to earn more time on the ice. After picking up three points in three games during the 4 Nations Tournament, he might be starting to hit his stride. If he can keep it up, he’ll have the chance to prove St. Louis wrong and earn his place.

What Happens Next Between St. Louis and Laine?

You have to believe there will be a conversation between Laine and St. Louis. You also have to believe that St. Louis will use this as a way to challenge the Finish player. Now, given Laine’s on-again-off-again resume, will Laine accept the challenge? If he can, it could move this “situation” into an opportunity.

Martin St. Louis Canadiens roster — Martin St. Louis Canadiens coach

One question is why Laine would complain about his ice time. There has to be either a lot or not much going on in his head. But, giving him the benefit of the doubt, Laine has to be frustrated. As a goal-scorer, when he’s not playing he can’t score. That seems simple. Being stuck on the bench must be frustrating. Second, Laine also has to feel that his coach doesn’t trust him. If Laine asks for more trust, was what he did a wise way to do it?

At the End of the Day, the Canadiens Want to Win

At the end of the day, the coach and his players are on the same page. They both want to add to their team’s success. When Laine isn’t getting ice time, it’s hard for him to do that. So, Laine’s feeling like he’s not getting the chance to prove himself. That’s likely driving his frustration.

What’s the solution? There’s only one. Laine must respond to St. Louis’ challenge to earn his time on the ice. If he can do so, could this event be the start of something big for him? It all seems so logical.