Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine and his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, likely aren't on each other's gift list.
The nine-year veteran returned to Columbus for the first time since requesting a trade during the offseason, and Laine received a harsh response from fans and former teammates alike.
Fans booed Laine as soon as he touched the puck early in the first period, and Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov hit Laine hard along the board moments later, drawing a round of applause from the home crowd.
Laine's harsh reception at his former NHL home for four seasons was likely due to comments he made about the Blue Jackets earlier Monday.
"I feel like we were just doing the same thing year after year. I was just tired of losing and just giving up when it's December to start focusing on next year," Laine said.
"They're a little too satisfied and too comfortable where they're at. It wasn't really a fit for me anymore," Laine added. (h/t The Athletic)
During an intermission interview, forward Mathieu Olivier was coy when asked whether Laine's words influenced Columbus' aggressive attack against its former teammate.
"No comment," Olivier offered.
During the first period intermission, the Canadiens announced that Laine (upper body) was questionable to return. He finished Montreal's 5-4 loss with only six minutes on the ice.
After the game, defenseman Zach Werenski called Laine's initial comments "unacceptable," adding, "I hope he's alright with whatever he's dealing with tonight. But he didn't finish the game. You know, a couple hits, I don't know what happened."
"We were nothing but good teammates to him."
The Blue Jackets acquired Laine in January 2021 in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets. During his four seasons with the franchise, the Blue Jackets finished no better than sixth in the Metropolitan Division, including consecutive last-place finishes in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The union didn't work, and Monday showed why a divorce was for the best.
