Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine, who missed the team’s last three games due to flu symptoms, is still not ready to return to the game.
Even though he was back in full training with his teammates on Thursday morning, for the first time since he withdrew before the January 3 game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the big Finn still didn’t not regained enough shape to play a match.
He will therefore not accompany his teammates to Washington, where the Habs have a meeting with the powerful Capitals on Friday.
For the moment, we do not know if he will be able to play Saturday night at the Bell Center against the Dallas Stars. The Habs perhaps wanted to avoid him playing twice in 24 hours in two different cities while he is recovering from a virus for which he was kept aside for more than a week.
In 13 games this season, the 26-year-old has scored eight goals and two assists.
Not ready yet, but…
Several questions remain unanswered regarding his state of health, although the Habs confirmed on Wednesday that he had indeed been affected by flu symptoms. Laine also jumped on the ice before his teammates for the first time in almost a week.
Especially since he would have been seen in the evening during a charity event for an organization that raises awareness of mental health disorders in the metropolis. He seemed, according to a person on site, to have found form.
-Last season, Laine also had to miss three games because he was ill.
On the other hand, it is rather rare in the National Hockey League (NHL) for a player to be absent for such a long time due to illness. In the 2023-2024 season, only five players missed more than four games for this reason: Miles Wood of the Colorado Avalanche (5), Jonah Gadjovich of the Florida Panthers (6), Hudson Fasching of the New York Islanders York (6), Alex Pietrangelo of the Vegas Golden Knights (6) and Conor Timmins of the Toronto Maple Leafs (16)*.
In Timmins’ case, however, he was afflicted by mononucleosis that caused him to miss almost 20% of the season.
Savard too
Absent for four games due to an upper body injury, veteran David Savard also skated with his teammates. But just like Laine, the defender will remain in Montreal and will forfeit against the Capitals.
In addition, goalkeeper Jakub Dobes will be in action in the American capital. Consequently, Samuel Montembeault should face the Dallas Stars on Saturday at the Bell Center.
*According to NHL Injury Viz
