The injury in itself is a concern as the possible outcomes range from very lenient to the worst. According to Dr. Harjas Grewal, Laine could be out of the season for one to four months if it is a meniscus tear and the entire season if it is an ACL tear. A bone bruise, on the other hand, could get him out for a few weeks. The range of scenarios leaves a lot to be decided, but medical insight will have to be used to determine how long Laine may be away from the lineup.
Nobody wants to build false hope, but sharing specialists' opinions is informative regarding the hopes of the fans. St-Louis, for his part, stays measured, sticks to facts, and will surely prepare his team to manage the challenge. The fact of Laine's injury means changes will now have to be made for the Canadiens, who were foreseeing an encouraging 2024-2025 season.
This is a setback to the fans, most of whom were excited and anticipating the new season, with a lot of expectations from the improving team. Laine was one of those players expected to have a key role in their plans. The excitement has been dampened now, and much will be awaited from the team's ability to cope with this particular hurdle.