Patrik Laine will reportedly avoid surgery after a shocking announcement from the Montreal Canadiens

The 2024 pre-season couldn't have gone any worse for the Montreal Canadiens, with the team seeing both Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher going down with seemingly serious injuries in their latest clash with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Earlier on Tuesday, the organization unfortunately revealed that their top prospect would undergo surgery and be out for 5-6 months, with many believing Laine was headed for a similar if not worse fate.

Now, they've shocked the NHL by announcing the exact opposite, with the official X account of the team revealing that he would miss between 2-3 months of action, putting him in line for a surprise return in the new year.

This is incredible news for the team and for Laine himself, who was working back into fantastic shape during training camp, with many around the team saying he looked as motivated as they've ever seen him in his NHL career. While the team will need to find a new second-line winger to pair with Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach, Laine will be back with more than half of the season to go, shockingly avoiding surgery and allowing them to get this group rolling again once he returns.

With plenty of young talent, this team could be in the fight for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, and if Laine gets back to 100% and finds his old form in a new uniform, we could be seeing a very dark horse team develop right in front of our eyes.