The Montreal Canadiens have always been a team surrounded by intrigue, but this season, one player’s situation has sparked a wave of speculation and debate that refuses to die down.

Patrik Laine, once heralded as a potential game-changing addition, now finds himself at the center of a controversy that few saw coming. While the spotlight has often shone on rising stars and new faces, it’s the surprising assessment from a respected analyst that has fans and insiders alike questioning the future of the Finnish forward in Montreal.

With only a handful of games played, whispers about Laine’s role and the organization’s intentions have grown louder, fueled by blunt commentary and unexpected lineup decisions.

Is Montreal quietly moving on from one of its most high-profile acquisitions? Why is Laine stuck on the fourth line, and what does this mean for his career? The answers aren’t as simple as they seem, and the truth may be more shocking than anyone anticipated.

As rumors swirl and patience wears thin, the fate of Patrik Laine hangs in the balance. What’s really happening behind the scenes? Why has the organization’s stance shifted so dramatically? Dive in to uncover the full story and decide for yourself what the future holds for Laine in Montreal.

Canadiens forward Patrik Laine

Photo credit: NHL

Marc-Olivier Beaudoin from BPM Sports shares his observations on the Montreal Canadiens, but it’s his comment about Patrik Laine that stands out.

After only three games this season, analyst Marc-Olivier Beaudoin painted a fairly complete picture of the Montreal Canadiens this Sunday morning.

He spoke about Juraj Slafkovsky, Logan Mailloux, Noah Dobson, Mike Matheson, Oliver Kapanen, Kirby Dach, Brendan Gallagher, and Ivan Demidov.

For all of those players, he had only positive things to say (except Mailloux with the Blues, of course). But beyond the positive notes, it’s his remark about Patrik Laine that really got people talking.

According to him, the Canadiens’ management has already moved on from the Finnish forward’s situation.

“Patrik Laine won’t be signing a contract extension with the team, despite some rumors we’ve read about it. He’s playing on the fourth line with a bit of time on the second power-play unit. Zero conditions to optimize his usage. The organization seems to have already moved on from this matter.”

– Marc-Olivier Beaudoin

Patrik Laine already seems to be excluded from the Montreal Canadiens’ plans

I like Beaudoin’s honesty.

Laine, who arrived with high expectations more than a year ago, was supposed to bring offensive depth to the Canadiens, but everything suggests that his time in Montreal could be short-lived.

At 27 years old, the former elite scorer no longer seems to fit into the plans of Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis.

Since the start of the season, he has been limited to a secondary role, playing on the fourth line with reduced power play time.

Again, according to Beaudoin, the organization’s patience with him is wearing thin rather quickly.

Honestly, I think he’s right. You don’t need to be an expert to see that Laine is simply too slow on the ice.

If Laine doesn’t quickly rediscover his scoring instinct, his days will be numbered

In my opinion, he’s clearly a liability at five-on-five, and if St-Louis doesn’t want to use him on the first power play unit, I don’t see how he can help the Canadiens this season.