Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine said he did not blame Cédric Paré for his action which injured him.
Laine suffered a sprained left knee last Saturday in a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, following contact with Paré. He will be on the sidelines for a period of two to three months.
“I think no one wants to hurt anyone,” said the 26-year-old Finn on Thursday, while his teammates trained on the ice at the Gilles-Cadieux arena in Mont-Tremblant. It’s a fast sport. I put myself somewhat in this situation.
“He tried to stop me. It was an unfortunate collision. He texted me afterwards. I have respect for that,” he added.
Laine admitted that the days after the incident were difficult. He was limited to 18 games last season due to a broken collarbone and a stint with the NHL Player Assistance Program and NHL Players’ Association to rehab his health. mental.
He was happy to get a fresh start in Montreal. His momentum was slowed after one preparatory game and less than one period.
“At the time, I was mainly wondering how I was going to get up,” Laine said. I suspected something was wrong. I didn’t know exactly what until later. I wasn’t happy, I think everyone saw that.
“The first two days were miserable, while I met the doctors, got the diagnoses and had the magnetic resonance imaging. I was very emotional, he admitted. I fought so hard to get back on the ice and be excited again. Injuries are part of sport. You have to try to stay positive. At least I have the second half of the season left. »
Laine noted that he preferred not to go under the knife, which would have required a longer convalescence. He made this decision after consulting “a few” doctors.
“I think there’s never a guarantee whether you get surgery or not,” Laine said. I’m sure we’ll do everything we can with the medical staff to make sure everything looks good when I return to the game.”
In the meantime, the members of the Canadiens want to ensure that Laine remains part of the team. He accompanied the group to Mont-Tremblant, although he will obviously not be able to play golf or participate in any physical activity.
“I was expecting to miss the outing, so I was happy to meet everyone off the ice,” Laine said.
“It’s not always easy when you arrive in a new team,” recalled defender David Savard. Even if he won’t play with us at the start of the season, it’s important that he is here, so that he can be more comfortable in the group. We are going to do the same thing in Montreal, integrating him into all possible activities so that he feels part of the team. »
Laine would have preferred to skate with his teammates to the cries of young fans on Thursday. He will have to wait a little longer before being cheered by the crowd.