Patrik Laine makes honest statement, with dig at Canadiens HC Martin St Louis ahead of Finland debut vs Team USA

Finland is looking to shock the world as they take on Team USA at Bell Centre in their opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Forward Patrik Laine is vying to make a statement as he joins his countrymen, and ahead of the matchup, he dropped a bold statement to Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis.

Finland appears to be the weakest team in the NHL‘s in-season tournament due to key injuries on the defensive front. The Suomi squad could be in serious trouble when facing the star-studded offenses in the competition.

However, what Finland lacks in defensive stars, they make up for with elite offensive talent—and with captain Aleksander Barkov, who is as strong defensively as anyone.

Laine is excited to get back on the ice with his comrades, and the Canadiens’ forward admitted he’s also very encouraged to see an increase in his gametime. In a subtle comment, Laine dropped a subtle shot at his coach in Montreal.

Head coach of the Montreal Canadiens Martin St. Louis is introduced during the pre-game ceremony against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0.

“To be able to get on the ice a little more definitely helps,” Laine said, via ClutchPoints. “It’s been kinda limited the past couple of weeks. With the guys I’m playing here, I’m hopefully gonna see more ice time. That’s gonna help, obviously. It’s hard to get going when you’re not been able to perform.”

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Find a rhythym

While Laine hasn’t been able to find his footing ever since being traded by the Winnipeg Jets to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the 26-year-old is hoping to find his home in Montreal. The 4-Nations may be the perfect opportunity for Laine to get hot and carry that momentum into the final stretch of the NHL regular season.

“I think it’ll be a good turning point just to play good here & gain confidence and keep it going with the (Habs) for the rest of the year,” Laine admitted.

Home sweet home

Luckily for Laine, he didn’t have to travel to reunite with his Finnish teammates, as the opening stage of the tournament takes place in Montreal, before moving on to TD Garden in Boston for the last matchups of Round Robin and the Championship Game on February 20.

Patrik Laine #92 of the Montreal Canadiens skates during warmups prior to the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on January 18, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 7-3.

“It’s great. I don’t have to travel anywhere. It was easy. Being able to put that jersey on in my new home rink, it’s pretty cool,” Laine stated. “And on top of that, we don’t have to play Canada here. That’s always nice not to get booed. So, hopefully, they will cheer for me.”