Montreal Canadiens ahead Patrik Laine stated he has “no clue” what the reception shall be like Monday evening when he faces the Blue Jackets in Columbus for the primary time since being traded in the course of the low season.
The Canadiens acquired Laine from the Blue Jackets on Aug. 19 in trade for defenceman Jordan Harris and a second-round decide following reviews that Columbus was trying to give the Finnish winger a recent begin.
Laine informed reporters following the morning skate that he hopes the reception from the fan base is optimistic.
“If it’s not, I don’t actually care,” Laine stated. “If guys are going to be pissed off and bitter about one thing, then that’s your situation. I’m having a good time regardless and don’t actually care what different individuals are saying, however we’ll see. It’ll be fascinating.”
Laine was drafted second total by the Winnipeg Jets in 2016 and was traded to Columbus 5 years later as a part of a blockbuster deal that despatched Pierre-Luc Dubois north of the border.
He signed a four-year, $34.8-million contract extension with the Blue Jackets in July 2022 after recording 26 objectives and 56 factors in the course of the earlier season. He adopted that up with 22 objectives and 52 factors in 2022-23.
Nonetheless, Laine has but to come back near reaching his profession highs set with the Jets in 2017-18 when he registered 44 objectives and 70 factors, and the Blue Jackets missed the playoffs each season throughout his tenure with the group.
“I had some ups and downs,” stated Laine, who was cleared to return in July. “I don’t wish to get into that an excessive amount of however some issues in all probability may have been dealt with higher. Some issues had been nice, some issues weren’t so nice. However I’m having the time of my life right here, so I don’t wish to actually get into that an excessive amount of.”
“Clearly, issues occurred, and that was type of it for me,” Laine stated. “I really feel like we had been simply doing the identical factor 12 months after 12 months. I used to be uninterested in shedding and simply giving up when it’s December to begin specializing in subsequent 12 months. I’m not going to try this. That’s irritating as a participant whenever you’re making an attempt to win and a few individuals are, you already know, not like that.
“They’re somewhat too glad and too comfy the place they’re at. It wasn’t actually a match for me anymore. However right here (in Montreal), it doesn’t matter if we’re profitable or shedding, we’re at all times making an attempt our greatest. That’s what I felt about it (in Columbus).”
Montreal (14-16-3) is using a three-game profitable streak thanks partially to Laine, who has 5 objectives and was named the NHL’s third star of the week.
Columbus (13-15-6) has simply two wins in its final 11 video games and is coming off a 5-4 additional time loss on the street to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
