The Habs started the season looking sharp, but this week brought an unwelcome surprise. Just as things were falling into place, word came down that one of their key forwards would be out for months. At first, the details were scarce. It wasn’t clear exactly how long he’d be gone, only that the team would need to adjust quickly.
Players reportedly kept quiet in the locker room. Injuries happen, but this one hits differently. He’s a big part of Montreal’s offense, and losing him shakes things up.
Can the Habs Stay Competitive Without Their Top Scorer?
On Saturday, the Montreal Canadiens officially confirmed that Patrik Laine will miss about three to four months after core muscle surgery in New York. Dr. Mark Zoland at Lenox Hill Hospital performed the procedure.
Mise à jour médicale au sujet de Patrik Laine
Medical update on Patrik Laine pic.twitter.com/pfFqpBo4E0
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 25, 2025
Laine hasn’t played since October 16. Initially, the team called it a minor lower-body issue. Nothing serious, or so they thought. After more tests and a second opinion, it became more serious. Now, the hope is that he could return in late January or maybe early February, depending on rehab.
For the 27-year-old winger, it’s a rough break. He only had one assist in five games, but that doesn’t capture his full impact. Montreal’s power play looks different when he’s on the ice. Last season, he scored 15 power-play goals, among the league’s best. His presence alone forces defenders to change how they play. Filling that gap isn’t easy.
Adjusting Without Patrik Laine
Head coach Martin St. Louis has a challenging puzzle now. Laine’s size, speed, and shot aren’t easy to replace. You can cover for him, but you can’t really replace him. Montreal will lean on Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky without him.
Young players like Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook might get bigger roles, especially on the power play.
Opponents will adjust too. Without Laine’s one-timer, defenders can focus more on Caufield and Suzuki. St. Louis, known for changing things on the fly, will need to adapt again.
Laine’s career has been a mix of talent and tough luck with injuries. Since being drafted second overall in 2016, he’s put up 224 goals and 422 points in 537 NHL games with Winnipeg, Columbus, and Montreal.
But staying healthy has always been tricky, and he hasn’t played more than 68 games in a season since 2019.
This setback comes in the last year of his four-year, $34.8 million deal, with an $8.7 million cap hit. How quickly he recovers could affect both his future and Montreal’s plans for next season.
The current goal is to simply hang on. Montreal sits near the top of the Atlantic Division, but losing Laine will test the team’s depth. They’ve adapted under St. Louis before, and they’ll have to do it again. When he comes back, hopefully, the team is stronger for it.
