PUBLICATION
Leo Honein
March 23, 2026Â Â (9:42 PM)
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
François Gagnon has just revealed major information regarding Patrik Laine’s situation.
The sports journalist answered fans’ questions on his social media over the last few hours.
Officially, the forward’s name is still on the Montreal Canadiens’ injured list.
The organization continues to cite an injury to justify this prolonged absence from the lineup, but the fans are not fooled.
The player has been practicing regularly with his teammates for nearly a month at the Brossard sports complex.
Actively taking part in on-ice drills clearly shows that he has returned to physical form. This contradiction is raising a lot of questions among Montreal Canadiens fans.
François Gagnon provided some clarification on this matter. According to his analysis, Patrik Laine is fully accepting this status imposed by management.
Officially, he’s still unavailable due to injury. That said, he’s been practicing like a regular for about a month.
My read: he’s okay with it. If not, his agent would ask the NHLPA to get involved and force the Habs to take him off IR.
– Francois Gagnon/RDS
Is Patrik Laine voluntarily accepting to remain sidelined?
If the athlete were refusing this situation, his agent would quickly step in on the matter.
The player’s representative would demand the direct involvement of the NHL Players’ Association to resolve the dispute.
Forcing Kent Hughes to remove his client from the injured list would become the normal procedure to follow.
The silence from the player’s camp proves that an agreement exists between the two parties.
Head coach Martin St-Louis is therefore planning his games without having to use Laine.
Winning games remains the team’s only priority in order to reach the playoffs, for the time being.
The situation is expected to remain this way until the end of the team’s schedule. Kent Hughes will have to make a final decision on Patrik Laine’s future this summer.
Until then, the forward will continue practicing with the group without taking part in games.
Patrik Laine, 27, has recorded 1 point in 5 games this season. We are talking here about a 6-foot-5 forward who was a 1st-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets in 2016.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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Journalist sheds light on why Patrik Laine remains sidelined despite practicing
Do you believe Patrik Laine is happy not to be playing?