Patrick Laine and the Montreal Canadiens: A Hockey Wife’s Guide to understanding the Rise, Fall… and Maybe Redemption?

Ice Ice Baby

If you spend enough time around hockey fans, eventually you’ll hear one name come up in equal parts excitement, frustration, and pure speculative chaos: Patrick Laine.

And if you’re married to a hockey fan—or a hockey player—you’ve probably heard the same conversation about Laine roughly 3,000 times.

“He’s got one of the best shots in the NHL.”

“He just needs the right system.”

“This is the year he finally figures it out.”

Now that Laine is skating with the Montreal Canadiens, the conversation has reached a whole new level of intensity. Because in Montreal, every player is either the next savior or a future cautionary tale… sometimes within the same week. In extreme cases habs fans can switch their opinion of a player within the first period.

So as a hockey wife who hears all the locker-room-adjacent takes, the bar chatter, and the living room debates, let’s break down the Patrick Laine Montreal Canadiens experience—stats, speculation, and all. Just for shits and giggles.

Patrick Laine’s Rise: The Goal-Scoring Phenom

Before the debates and eye rolls, there was the undeniable talent, so I've heard.

Patrick Laine entered the NHL in 2016 as the second overall pick for the Winnipeg Jets and immediately looked like the next elite sniper in the league.

In his rookie season alone, Laine scored 36 goals and 64 points in 73 games. Not bad for a teenager whose release looked like it had been engineered in a lab.

By the 2017–18 season, Laine exploded for 44 goals, finishing second in the NHL in goal scoring and cementing his reputation as one of the most dangerous shooters in hockey.

At the time, the hype train wasn’t just moving—it was flying.

Fans and analysts started whispering comparisons to elite goal scorers like Alexander Ovechkin, which in hockey terms is basically the highest compliment possible.

Then Came the Inconsistency

But hockey careers are rarely linear.

After his early dominance in Winnipeg, Laine’s production started to fluctuate. Some seasons looked brilliant. Others… not so much.

By the time he moved to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2021, the narrative around Patrick Laine had shifted from “superstar sniper” to “if he can stay consistent.”

The numbers still showed flashes of brilliance:

• 2021–22: 26 goals in just 56 games

• 2022–23: 22 goals and 52 points in 55 games

  
  

When healthy and engaged, Laine remained a legitimate scoring threat.

But injuries, defensive criticisms, and questions about effort followed him everywhere he went. And yes, I could have added his assists boostings his points but you can look em up yourself if you really want to know.

Which brings us to Montreal.

Patrick Laine and the Montreal Canadiens: The Ultimate Hockey Experiment

When the Montreal Canadiens brought Patrick Laine into the fold, reactions ranged from “genius move” to “oh boy, here we go.” In our house it was OMFG, LESS GOOOO.

Montreal is a unique market. It’s not just a hockey city—it’s a hockey microscope.

Players don’t just perform here. They’re analyzed, debated, dissected, and occasionally turned into memes.The logic behind the move, though, makes sense.

The Canadiens are in the middle of a youth-driven rebuild, building around players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Adding a proven scoring threat like Laine could theoretically accelerate the team’s offensive production. And if there’s one thing Montreal loves, it’s a goal scorer. Well when he's scoring- and not just off the ice.

Fan Takes: The Three Patrick Laine Camps

From everything I’ve overheard at games, dinners, and car rides, Canadiens fans currently fall into three distinct groups.

1. The Optimists

These fans believe Montreal could be the perfect reset for Patrick Laine.

The thinking goes like this: new team, new expectations, fresh opportunity.

If Laine finds chemistry with Suzuki or Caufield, he could easily return to 30–40 goal form.

2. The Skeptics

Then there are the fans who have watched Laine’s career rollercoaster and are cautiously… unimpressed.

Their take usually sounds like:

“Sure, the shot is elite, but can he drive play?”

Translation: scoring goals is great, but modern hockey demands more than just standing in the left circle waiting for a one-timer.

3. The Montreal Realists

This group knows exactly how things go in this city.

If Laine scores five goals in a week, he’s the second coming of Guy Lafleur.

If he goes cold for two weeks, sports radio will start proposing trade packages before breakfast.

The Potential Demise… or the Perfect Comeback?

Here’s the truth most people in hockey quietly agree on: Patrick Laine’s story isn’t finished.

At 26 years old, Laine still has time to redefine his career.

He has:

• One of the most dangerous shots in the NHL, even though in my wifey humble opinion he's a bit of a one trick pony. You can come for me.

  
  

• Proven scoring ability, when he's feeling it and healthy.

  
  

• A very impressive confident fashion flare

  
  

Hopefully all he needs now is stability, health, and the right chemistry.

And if there’s one thing the Montreal Canadiens organization knows how to do, it’s revive careers in a hockey-mad city.

Let's Talk About The Tunnel Walk: Goals Are Debatable, the Fits Are Not

One thing that has remained consistent throughout Patrick Laine’s career—no matter the team or the stat line—is his commitment to fashion.

And in the modern NHL, the pre-game tunnel walk has become almost as scrutinized as the box score. Laine has leaned into that culture with everything from bold suits to statement jackets and the kind of confidence that suggests he absolutely knows cameras are waiting.

As one fan jokingly put it:

“If goals were scored based on tunnel outfits, Laine would have three Rocket Richards by now.”

Another classic overheard take from the stands:

“The guy looks like he’s heading to Paris Fashion Week… and then takes three shots all game.”

And my personal favorite from a particularly opinionated fan at a game party:

“Patrick Laine dresses like a rockstar and plays like he forgot the lyrics halfway through the song.”

Now to be fair, hockey players expressing personality through fashion has become a huge part of NHL culture. The tunnel walk has turned into a runway of sorts, and players across the league are embracing it.

But when you’re playing in Montreal, everything becomes part of the narrative—including the wardrobe.

Is His Wife Producing More Than Patrick Is?

And because this is modern hockey, the storyline doesn’t stop at the rink.

Off the ice, Laine’s wife, Jordan Leigh, has been steadily building a social media presence—particularly on TikTok.

Lifestyle clips, behind-the-scenes moments, and the occasional peek into the NHL lifestyle have helped grow her online following.

Now, none of this actually impacts Patrick Laine’s ability to score goals.

But Canadiens fans—being the wonderfully sarcastic detectives they are—have noticed something.

While Patrick’s offensive production has occasionally stalled…

The TikTok content pipeline has remained very consistent.

One particularly cheeky comment floating around fan forums summed it up best:

“Someone in the Laine household is definitely producing note worthy content every week.”

Again, all in good fun—but in Montreal, everything connected to a player becomes part of the conversation.

Final Thoughts from the Hockey Wife Corner

From my completely unofficial, overheard-conversation perspective, Patrick Laine might be the most fascinating storyline in Montreal right now.

He’s talented enough to dominate.

Unpredictable enough to frustrate.

And playing in the most passionate hockey market in the world.

Which means one thing is guaranteed: Whether he scores 40 goals, debuts another bold tunnel outfit, or sparks another debate on sports radio…

the Patrick Laine Montreal Canadiens saga isn’t ending anytime soon.

And trust me.

By tomorrow morning, I’ll probably hear three new theories about it over coffee. 🏒