What If Laine’s Injury Was the Canadiens Hiding Something Else?

Not wanting to downplay an injury to any player, let’s engage in some pure speculation for a moment. Patrik Laine exited Monday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with what the Montreal Canadiens called an “upper-body injury.” Laine had taken some vicious shots by the Blue Jackets’ players after a sequence before the game where he had spoken with the media about his time in Columbus. In those interviews, Laine talked about his reasons for asking out of Ohio’s capital city. 

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Blue Jackets players had responded verbally to those comments – embarrassed and angered by them. Were they now taking out this same anger against Laine on the ice during the game?

Since returning from his preseason injury, Laine’s short time in Montreal had been nothing but the stuff of movies – he was on a tear of all tears. Since his season debut on December 3, the right-shot winger scored eight power-play goals in nine games. He had set an NHL record for scoring eight straight power-play goals with his new team. 

Could the Canadiens Have Pulled the Plug on Laine and the Situation?

What if someone in the Canadiens organization had assessed the situation, realized how dangerous this was getting for Laine and everyone, and pulled the plug on Laine? Again, this is speculation, but it could be.

Laine was notably absent from the bench to start the second period. It could be that Laine was injured and couldn’t go. On the other hand, what if he were not seriously injured during Monday’s game? What if, instead, someone had seen what was going on and had taken the long view and pulled him from the game as a precautionary measure? 

What might that decision say about the team’s priorities and how it balances short-term competitiveness with long-term goals? Let’s speculate.

Pros and Cons of Pulling Laine as a Precaution

Pulling Patrik Laine from the game has its advantages. First, it prioritizes his long-term health, ensuring he can continue to contribute as the team builds for the future. Second, with the Canadiens holding a 14-17-3 record and sitting seven points out of a playoff spot, risking his health for one game might not make sense. Focusing on the games that follow the holiday break and even next season allows the team to prioritize development and set the foundation for a more competitive 2025-26 campaign.

On the other hand, pulling Laine comes with its downsides. He has been a critical scorer, and his presence might have changed the outcome of a close game. Additionally, fans might expect the team to push harder in key matchups with playoff hopes not yet officially dashed. Last, players might interpret cautious decisions as giving up on the current season, potentially affecting team morale and cohesion.

The Dilemma: Should Laine Have Stayed or Been Pulled?

Here’s a speculative chart weighing the two options:

Laine Should Have Stayed	Laine Should Have Been Pulled
It keeps playoff hopes alive, however slim.	Prioritizes long-term health and team strategy.
Keeps playoff hopes alive, however slim.	A win against Columbus is not worth the long-term fallout of his injury.
Boosts team morale with a competitive push.	Prioritizes careful planning for future success.

Of course, this is all conjecture. We don’t know the exact severity of Laine’s injury or the Canadiens’ reasoning for holding him out. However, the scenario invites an interesting conversation about how teams should balance immediate competitiveness against long-term goals.

The Laine and Blue Jackets Dynamic

Laine’s recent comments about his departure from Columbus added another layer to the drama. He criticized the Blue Jackets for being “a little too satisfied” and admitted he was “tired of losing.” If Montreal’s decision to pull him was based on avoiding unnecessary physicality or retaliation from his former team, that would make sense. At the same time, fans might ironically interpret this caution as a lack of willingness to compete in a crucial game.

For Laine, this situation underscores the fine line between candidness and controversy. While his frustrations with Columbus are valid, the Canadiens might have been carefully trying to manage the fallout from such comments.

What It Means for the Canadiens and Laine

Whether Laine was injured or not, what was happening on the ice was a dangerous situation for Laine. He was being targeted, and if he hadn’t yet been injured, there was a good chance he was going to be. It would have been understandable for the Canadiens to shut him down, say he had an injury, and let him return after a few days off. Those short-term goals might have helped both Laine and the team in the long term.

Teams must decide if playoff pushes are worth risking key players’ health. Meanwhile, staying healthy and continuing to produce for Laine will be essential to proving his value and leadership on a team that is still finding its identity.

Ultimately, if the Canadiens pulled Laine as a precaution despite his ability to stay in the game, it could signify a shift in focus toward the future. Whether fans agree or not, it’s clear that Montreal’s management was aware of how bad things had gotten and was protecting their player. It was probably wise considering the Blue Jackets didn’t seem to hide what they were doing through both their actions on the ice and in comments after the game.

Related: The Montreal Canadiens Are Transforming Before Our Eyes