Canadiens Send Prospect To AHL, Patrik Laine Return Imminent

The Montreal Canadiens have assigned prospect Joshua Roy to the AHL, which suggests injured forward Patrik Laine is nearing a return to play.

Roy, 21, failed to register a point in the four games he played for the Habs, though it should be noted he was used in a bottom-six role, and we would be delving into intellectual dishonesty if we suggested 10 minutes per night in the bottom six is a situation that is conducive to flourishing, especially from a production standpoint.

That being said, Roy’s underlying numbers were quite underwhelming during his brief time with the Habs. Returning to the Laval Rocket will do wonders for Roy’s ice time, which, in turn, should lead to improved production. After all, players with talent need ice time to perform.

It will also help the Rocket, as they have struggled to earn points without Roy in the lineup. The Rocket did not register a single win in the last four games, a complete reversal of their early-season results, which led them to having the best start from a Canadiens farm team in the last half century.

Patrik Laine Nears A Return

Assigning Roy to the AHL seems to be a precursor to a long-awaited roster move from a player who is yet to don a Canadiens jersey during an official game.

Laine travelled with the Canadiens this weekend, but was not cleared to play against either the New York Rangers or the Boston Bruins. The Habs are set to host the New York Islanders on Tuesday, which would give Laine a little more time to prepare, as he’d be able to join the team for practice in the morning.

Either way, Canadiens fans should expect Laine to make his Montreal Canadiens debut in the very near future.

Patrik Laine on IG:

“Big week coming up 🔥
Hopefully Father Andre is a hockey fan” pic.twitter.com/pAYGN2D44O

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) December 2, 2024

The Long Road Back

Montreal Canadiens fans are likely sick of hearing the P word.

Yes, that one.

Patience.

But the reality is that Laine has not played since 2023, and he will need a very long runway to find his wings. Just like Dach before him, expect Laine to need much more than just a few games to remove the heavy layers of rust involved in a long-term injury.

In fact, treating the rest of the 2024-25 season as an extended tune-up for Laine is probably the most logical way to frame his return to play.

At one point, Laine will be able to make a positive impact, but the true test will take place next year, when he will be able to participate in a full training camp and won’t have to face opposing players who are in mid-season form.

Of course, some will jump the gun and make sweeping generalizations just a few days into his season. That’s difficult to avoid in such a big market.

But anyone treating this situation with an objective lens knows not to expect much from Laine if he does return to play in the next few games.

Patience is in order, and it will have to last until the end of the season, at the very least.