<p>When it comes to hockey fandom, most are loyal to a specific team. But there’s no shortage of people who want to see Patrik Laine thrive.</p>



<p>In a world where hockey players often lack personality, that’s never really been a problem with Laine. Between the out-there outfits, his love for video games or his pure confidence, Laine has established a loyal fanbase everywhere he’s gone. But the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/montreal-canadiens/line-combinations">Montreal Canadiens</a> are a totally different beast.</p>



<p>And now, after easily the most difficult season of his NHL career – and the start of his most lucrative contract to date – there has never been more pressure for him to perform in the NHL. </p>



<p>Between an early season upper-body injury, an illness in early December, a clavicle fracture and then a trip to the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Laine was limited to just nine points in 18 games last year. His advanced analytics weren’t great, and between inconsistency and injury issues, he just never looked comfortable in his four-year stint with the<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/columbus-blue-jackets/line-combinations"> Columbus Blue Jackets</a>.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="173"></div>



<p>Laine hasn’t played a competitive NHL game since Dec. 14, so getting comfortable in a new environment is paramount. The preseason is good and all, but he hasn’t played a real game against a full NHL roster in nearly 300 days. He’s now playing with new linemates, a new coach and a new system in a brand new city. He’s most likely going to slot in on the second line alongside Kirby Dach – who hasn’t played since last October himself.</p>



<p>So, if Laine starts off slow, it’s understandable. But it won’t be acceptable for too long, given his salary. From the get-go, Laine was seen as one of the best young goal-scorers in the NHL. With an incredible release and a ton of pure muscle to back it up, Laine had three consecutive 30-plus-goal seasons to open his career. Nothing matched his 44-goal, 70-point run in 2017-18, and he looked good during the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/winnipeg-jets/line-combinations">Winnipeg Jets’</a> extended playoff run. He had 28 goals in 68 games in 2019-20, so he would have easily hit 30 had he stayed healthy.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="179"></div>



<p>But since then, the closest he has gotten is 26 in 2021-22. Columbus never really gave him proper support down the middle to work with compared to Winnipeg, but inconsistency, some awkward two-way efforts and a history of injuries didn’t help.</p>



<p>So Montreal is giving him a fresh start, but Laine has to live up to his end of the bargain. He’ll make $8.7 million per season until 2026, which is a big price tag for someone who just hasn’t looked at his best for a while. Fortunately, the Canadiens have the cap space, and they’re not expected to be a playoff outfit this year. But, eventually, they’ll put themselves back into contention, and they’d probably love to have a healthy, strong Laine as a big part of that.</p>



<p>At the very least, Laine needs to stay healthy. Even 60 games would be the best he’s achieved since his time in Winnipeg ended back in 2020. If he can play 60 games, at least 20 goals and 50 points feels manageable. Sure, Laine struggled last year, but he never had a chance to get himself comfortable. Once he hears the roar of a full Bell Centre on Oct. 9, you can fully expect his old, competitive self to appear again. Some players just shine in the spotlight – maybe Laine will, too.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="222"></div>



<p>That’s optimistic, sure. But even in the games leading up to his departure from Columbus, you saw something there. Laine is best when he’s got a skilled passer feeding him all game. He can also exploit open space on the power play, something he’ll get plenty of opportunities to do with the Habs.</p>



<p>At his best, Laine is excellent as a rush scorer and can fire a shot from anywhere. We still saw that last year, but in smaller increments. Some scouts even noted that Laine was pushed to play more defense or rely on his teammates to get him the puck, when his game is really designed around him having the disk and taking things over from there. </p>



<p>“Few players want to score more than Laine does, and he knows how to do it,” a scout said. “Montreal’s coaching staff will be better off letting him play his game instead of molding him into something he isn’t, like more of a two-way player. Let him score goals.”</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="169"></div>



<p>There’s probably more pressure than ever for Laine to perform. He’ll want to get his career back on track before he hits the open market in 2026. If he can become an excellent, long-term answer for Montreal, great. They gave up almost nothing to get him and, at the core, it addresses a major hole the Canadiens were missing. The Canadiens clearly don’t see Laine as dead weight. They’ve been promoting the heck out of him, and even for a non-contender, taking on a salary as big as his is no small feat.</p>



<p>If you’re a Habs fan, it’s going to be a fascinating season. Will they be a good team? No. How about a better team than last year? Absolutely. And with Laine there, maybe the Habs can help resurrect his career like they did with Sean Monahan. That alone could be a fun storyline to watch. The Habs don’t need him to set career highs this year, but if he can get even back into the 50-point territory, it’ll be a good start. Anything more will be massive. It might not seem like major numbers for a player making his type of money, but he hasn’t played up to the standard we’ve seen him capable of in quite some time.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="212"></div>



<p>The moral of the story? Laine just needs to play. A lot. And if all goes well, the results will follow. He needs his confidence back. </p>



<p>There is optimism that we’ll see a mega season from Laine in 2024-25. But it’s up to him to make the most of it.</p>



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