Montreal Canadiens star Patrik Laine's heartbreaking injury fate confirmed

In Saturday evening's preseason tilt between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, things got tough on the ice for forward Patrik Laine. Involved in a play between two other players, Laine had to be helped off of the ice and did not return to the game. He was seen after the game with a brace on his left knee and hobbling around on crutches, raising questions about his health and future after arriving in Montreal this summer from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
 
For Laine, a fresh start in Montreal was supposed to wipe clean memories of past injuries that shelved him and time spent in the NHL, NHLPA's players assistance program. A trade that saw him end up with the Canadiens was supposed to be a reboot to his career.

Now, Patrik Laine's fate has been confirmed. It has been determined that he will likely miss four to six months.

When healthy, Patrik Laine is a dynamic player who can make things happen. The Canadiens, with their roster full of young talent, seemed to be the ideal spot to get him back on track. Still, his injury issues made him a risk for Montreal, given Laine has played in just 175 games over the past five seasons, a concerning number for a player who is supposed to anchor the charge in a rebuild.

General manager Kent Hughes seemed to do his homework before bringing Laine aboard, but the player's luck hasn't changed since the trade. The hope is that Laine will fully recover and hit the ice ready to roll when he does return. His contribution, whenever that might be, will be critical to Montreal's success this season.

While Patrik Laine's acquisition had initially brought promise for both the player and team, the possible setback from his latest injury makes his immediate future with the Canadiens very cloudy. The club can only hope this is a small bump in the road and not the start of a longer-term issue that will be a repetitive issue.