Patrik Laine is set to make his long-awaited debut with the Montreal Canadiens after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for two months. The Canadiens officially removed him from long-term injured reserve, and he was seen practicing on the second line ahead of their game against the New York Islanders.

Laine's journey has been marred by injuries since he was drafted second overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2016. Despite a challenging past year, he expressed excitement about returning to the ice and playing in front of Canadiens fans.