The Canadiens will be without right winger Patrik Laine for 3-4 months after the team announced he underwent surgery to repair a core muscle injury.

Laine appeared in Montréal's first five games of the season, but has not played since Oct. 16. He'll miss a large chunk of his second year with the Canadiens after he was traded to Montréal by the Blue Jackets before the 2024 season. Laine is in the final year of a four-year, $34.8 million contract, slated to become a free agent following the season.

Laine played in 52 games and recorded 33 points with 20 goals and 13 assists last year with the Canadiens. ESPN's Ryan S. Clark noted that Laine's recovery time could also impact his availability to represent Finland during the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.

The former No. 2 pick began his NHL career with the Jets, where he spent just over four seasons before he was traded to Columbus in '21. He recorded a career-high 44 goals in his second season with Winnipeg, which followed a 36-goal campaign in his rookie year.

Before the surgery was announced, Laine was listed day-to-day for the Canadiens with a lower body injury. On Wednesday, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reported that Laine went for a second opinion on the injury, which appears to have led to the procedure and lengthy recovery timeline.

The Canadiens are 6-3 to start the new season, sitting atop the Atlantic Division with 12 points.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Canadiens Announce Expected Timeline for Patrik Laine After He Underwent Surgery.