Columbus Blue Jackets' experiment with Patrik Laine at center paused by injury
The Blue Jackets' experiment with Patrik Laine as their top center lasted two games.
It will return in the future, but the injury-prone forward’s health will determine that timeframe after his latest health malady placed it on pause. The Blue Jackets announced Friday that Laine sustained a triceps strain at practice Thursday and will miss two-to-four weeks in his fourth absence due to injury or illness this season.
This one stings because of the way he’d played in the previous two games centering a line with Johnny Gaudreau and rookie Kirill Marchenko. Laine drove play, contributed four assists and showed significant improvement on faceoffs from the first to second game.
“There were some real good things in there for him,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said at Friday's morning skate. “It’s way too small a sample size at two games. I was really looking forward to having a stretch (with him at center), especially against the teams we’re playing. But from what you saw, there’s some advantages to having him there in the middle.”
One of those teams, the New York Islanders, faces the Blue Jackets on Friday. That would’ve been a great test for Laine, who likely would’ve shifted against Bo Horvat ― one of the NHL’s best two-way centers.
Instead, Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner moved back into the role of top center with Jack Roslovic shifting from right wing back to center of the second line. Sean Kuraly was expected to center the third line, returning earlier than expected from an oblique strain, and rookie Hunter McKown was set to make his NHL debut centering the fourth line.
Laine is now watching games again after sustaining his latest injury Thursday taking a shot during power-play work on the final rep of practice. That's fitting luck for both Laine and the injury-ravaged Blue Jackets this season.
Laine also missed six games (Oct. 14-23) with an elbow sprain that happened in the season-opener at the Carolina Hurricanes, seven games (Nov. 15-28) with an ankle sprain that happened Nov. 12 against the Islanders in New York and two games (Dec. 29-21) with a COVID-19 infection.
Laine also missed extended time last season.
He had an oblique strain early that coincided with the unexpected death of his father in Finland and then missed the season’s final two weeks with a back issue. It’s unclear whether he’ll play again this season, which only has four weeks remaining.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets without Patrik Laine due to strained triceps
