Canadiens' Patrik Laine makes shocking injury admission before free agency

The Montreal Canadiens played Patrik Laine for five games early in the season, then didn't have him the rest of the way.

At least at first, he was injured. But it turns out that injury didn't persist all the way through the Eastern Conference Finals.

Instead, Laine simply wasn't playing.

He confirmed to reporters on Monday that he wasn't injured by the end of the campaign.

Patrik Laine confirms he wasn’t injured at end of season #Habs

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It's not clear exactly when Laine might've been mostly or fully healthy. It can't have been too early in the season, or the Canadiens almost certainly would've brought him back.

But by the end, Montreal was struggling to get shots on goal, and yet a talented forward like Laine wasn't being included. 

It's at least a bit curious.

"There was incentive for Laine to stay on IR though as he will now be able to sign a bonus laden contract as a UFA with a lower base salary which will make him more appealing to teams," The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun wrote on X.

Yep, Laine is also at the end of his contract. He's a free agent on July 1.

It seems like the best path to a good payday would've been getting back on the ice and playing well, but maybe if it was too late in the season, there was some risk still involved.

The LeBrun post also raises the question of whether it was Laine who wanted to hold himself out of action.

So in essence, Laine answered one question, and there are plenty new ones raised.

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