"Columbus was targeting him", "Tried to injure him and they did": Habs fans irate as Patrik Laine exits Blue Jackets game with questionable status

Fans reacted as Montreal Canadiens' Patrik Laine didn't return to Monday's game against his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, after leaving in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Laine, who was traded to Montreal in the offseason after requesting a move from Columbus, was the subject of several hard hits from the Blue Jackets in the opening frame.

Many fans believe Columbus players were targeting Laine because of the comments he had made before the game. Laine had said that he felt more appreciated in Montreal compared to Columbus. He also criticized the Colombus' players as "too comfortable with losing."

Following Laine's early departure, Montreal fans took to social media to express their displeasure, believing that Columbus players were trying to injure their forward. One wrote:

"Columbus was targeting him. 72 needs to start rolling over some players"

Another wrote:

"He was being targeted the entire first period. They tried to injure him, and they did."

Here are some more fan reactions on X:

"Yikes.. He shouldn't have made those comments.. But the targeting was of the chart..," one fan wrote.

"Lost a lot of respect for Columbus tonight. Openly targeting a player is greasy," another wrote.

"Might not actually be hurt, "questionable" is quite rare and they might be taking precautions since CBJ was headhunting." one user commented.

"No one would target Laine. He can’t play defense, so when he’s on the ice, it’s advantage Columbus, just have to stay out the penalty box!" another user wrote.

Patrik Laine absorbed hits from the Blue Jackets' James van Riemsdyk, Cole Sillinger, Dante Fabbro and Adam Fantilli in the first period.

The Canadiens lost 5-4 to the Blue Jackets, who were without Laine for the final two periods. The upper-body injury puts Laine's status moving forward into question.

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Patrik Laine's pregame comments

Before the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Montreal Canadiens, Patrik Laine said that he was frustrated with unnamed people within the Blue Jackets organization who were "too comfortable" with losing.

“That’s just frustrating as a player, when you’re trying to win and some people are not like that and they’re a little too satisfied and a little too comfortable with where they’re at. So that really wasn’t a fit for me anymore,” Patrik Laine had said (as per Colombus Dispatch).

He said in Montreal, no matter if they are winning or losing, they are always trying their best.

“I’ll leave that for everybody’s imagination, but there were certainly people like that," he added.

Patrik Laine declined to specify whether his issues were mainly with teammates, coaches, staff or front office members, though.