Just 10 games after making his season debut, Patrik Laine might be in some injury trouble yet again.
The Montreal Canadiens forward took a few big hits from his former teammates on the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first period and did not come out with the team to start the middle frame.
The team announced Laine was questionable to return with an upper-body injury, but he remained sidelined for the remainder of the 5-4 loss. He finished the game with 6:15 of ice time.
It's unclear where in the opening frame he was injured.
The 26-year-old missed the Canadiens' first 24 games after suffering a knee injury in the pre-season. He did not require surgery and made his season debut on Dec. 3, during which he scored his first goal for Montreal.
In nine games this year, Laine has eight goals and one assist.
He was traded to the Canadiens from the Blue Jackets on Aug. 19 in exchange for defenceman Jordan Harris after reports emerged that the Tampere, Finland native requested a move.
Laine wasn't received very well by his former team's fans, who booed the winger when he first touched the puck. The team also did not put together a video tribute for the three-year Blue Jacket.
Laine was initially selected second-overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2016 NHL Draft but was moved to Columbus in 2021 for Pierre-Luc Dubois.
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