Patrik Laine mystery grows as Canadiens face Senators

This extended absence is becoming an undeniable headache for the Montreal Canadiens. The absolute silence surrounding his actual recovery timeline is deafening.

He has not suited up for a regular season contest since mid-October. Fans secretly crossed their fingers for a surprise return against the Ottawa Senators tonight, but the big forward remains off the active roster.

The timing of this ongoing saga is absolutely brutal for the locker room. With Cole Caufield currently battling an illness, injecting a healthy veteran into the lineup would have been the perfect solution.

Laine could have seized this golden opportunity to prove he still belongs in the Show. Instead, the medical staff refuses to offer any concrete updates to the media.

Despite the roster chaos, the Canadiens boast an impressive 35-18-10 record. Racking up 80 points by mid-March proves this group can overcome serious adversity.

Tonight brings a heavy, physical battle at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Senators are hungry, sitting on 73 points in the standings and looking to disrupt the Montreal transition game.

The Laine situation breeds wild conspiracy theories across the city right now. Fans are actively questioning the true nature of his prolonged stint on the sidelines.

Is he legitimately dealing with a complex physical setback? Or is management intentionally stashing his heavy contract to maneuver the complicated salary cap?

Looking back at his incredibly brief stint this fall, the impact was completely non-existent. He was held scoreless over five games, registering just one single assist.

He also posted a -3 rating before permanently vanishing from the ice. That lack of production makes his massive cap hit even tougher to swallow for the organization.

Thankfully, the blue paint provides a massive spark of excitement for tonight's matchup. Highly touted goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler officially gets the starting nod.

The young netminder absolutely earned this promotion from Laval. He dominated the minors with a stellar 2.23 goals-against average and a rock-solid .916 save percentage.

Fowler standing on his head tonight might be the exact distraction Montreal needs. It takes the focus away from the expensive mystery currently wearing a suit in the press box.

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