Did a Canadiens staffer decide to pull Laine from Monday's game?

Montreal Canadiens right winger Patrik Laine. David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Did a Canadiens staffer decide to pull Patrik Laine from Monday's game?

Originally posted on Habs Fanatics | By L. Honein | Last updated Dec 26, 2024 4:09 PM ET

Let's just say that Monday night's game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Columbus Blue Jackets continues to spark discussion.

First, let's recall that Patrik Laine left the game after just one period and never returned.

It must be said that he was the target of numerous heavy hits from his former teammates, and several observers (including Renaud Lavoie) even noticed that Laine's left shoulder was constantly targeted. A suspicious video even emerged showing Blue Jackets players constantly targeting Laine's left shoulder

It's important to note that Laine had significant issues with his left shoulder toward the end of his time with the Blue Jackets, so they were fully aware of this.

Did a Canadiens staffer intervene with Patrik Laine?

In the category of good news, Renaud Lavoie also has an idea about what might have happened Monday behind the scenes, which could explain why Laine was pulled from the game.

"Yes, the Blue Jackets' hits were legal, but did you notice what they were targeting? They were targeting his shoulder, the one he had surgery on last year. I wouldn't be surprised if someone from the Canadiens decided that enough was enough and made the call that he wouldn't return to the game."

This could be positive and may support the theory that Laine's removal was preventive, which would mean that he isn't too seriously injured.

At least, that's what we're really hoping.

As of now, we don't have details about the health of the Canadiens' star forward, but we do know that his status is day to day as reported earlier Wednesday.

We will continue to monitor this situation closely for you.

This article first appeared on Habs Fanatics and was syndicated with permission.

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