Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine underwent surgery for a core muscle injury and will be sidelined for 3-4 months. The 27-year-old has not played since October 16 and recorded one assist in five games this season. The procedure was performed at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York by Dr. Mark Zoland.
Patrik Laine, the 27-year-old forward for the Montreal Canadiens, underwent core muscle surgery earlier this week, the team announced on October 25, 2025. He was initially listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury on October 17 after taking his last shift with 4:36 remaining in the third period of a 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators on October 16.
In five games this season, Laine has one assist, six shots on net, and a minus-3 rating. Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis expressed satisfaction with Laine's early-season performance, noting his commitment to team play at five-on-five while logging 10-14 minutes of ice time.
This injury comes at a challenging time for Laine, who is in a contract year with an expiring $8.7-million cap hit and $9.1 million in actual salary as a pending unrestricted free agent. Acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets last year for Jordan Harris and a second-round pick, Laine had shown promise after rehabbing a preseason knee injury without surgery, missing only 24 games and posting 20 goals and 33 points in 52 regular-season games upon return.
However, his playoff performance was underwhelming, including being scratched for three of five games against the Washington Capitals, where he suffered a broken finger. Over the summer, Laine trained extensively with teammates in Montreal, earning praise from St. Louis: "With the amount of work he’s put in this summer, we might see the best version of Patty Laine."
General manager Kent Hughes also highlighted Laine's potential: “Patrik’s an incredibly skilled and talented hockey player. We’ve all seen that from him... I think he’s 100 per cent on board.” Selected second overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2016 NHL Draft, Laine has 422 points (224 goals, 198 assists) in 537 regular-season games across three teams and 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 26 playoff games.
The Canadiens, with a 6-3-0 record and first place in the Atlantic Division, face the Vancouver Canucks on October 25. Laine's possible return in late February could complicate his role amid potential trades or lineup competition before the March 6 deadline.