In Saturday night’s preseason game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens, Leafs center Cedric Pare and Canadiens forward Patrik Laine collided knee-on-knee. The collision resulted in Laine suffering a leg injury, forcing him out of the game, and led to harsh comments from former NHL star and current ESPN analyst, P.K. Subban.
The incident occurred when Pare and Laine were both chasing the puck during powerplay. In the scramble, their knees collided, and Laine was left needing help to get off the ice. Pare immediately faced backlash for the hit, including a fight with Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj, who stepped in to defend his teammate. Despite the confrontation, Pare later explained that there was no malicious intent behind the hit.
“It’s a fast game, you know?” Pare said. “It wasn’t my intention, it’s just unfortunate. I hope he’s fine. It wasn’t my intention, I didn’t mean to do that.”
Following the game, P.K. Subban posted a video criticizing Pare, labeling the hit a “cheap shot” and calling for more respect towards star players like Laine. Subban, a well-known advocate for player safety, didn’t hold back in his rant.
“You saw Pastrnak, you saw Tkachuk going at it in the playoffs. These guys are tough, but we gotta respect them. There can’t be any cheap shots on our superstars. I’m paying admission to watch Patrik Laine play, not Cedric Pare,” Subban said in the video.
WHERE HAS THE RESPECT GONE IN HOCKEY???
— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) September 29, 2024
WHAT A JOKE!#nhl #hockey #canadiens #laine
Does the fine fit the crime? pic.twitter.com/uhNNCHgCVY
Fans quickly reacted to Subban’s comments, with some supporting his view, while others felt his emotions clouded the facts. One fan responded on social media, saying, “I like PK, but this video proves legit anyone can be an ‘analyst’ for ESPN. This is such an emotionally based video with zero facts.”
Peter Holland defends Cedric Pare after Patrik Laine injury incident
Former Maple Leaf Peter Holland, who played alongside Pare last season, was quick to defend him, emphasizing Pare’s clean style of play and good hockey sense.
“I played with Pare last year. He’s not a dirty player and has really good hockey sense. It was an unfortunate circumstance with Laine, but I know there was no intent to injure. Just a guy trying to make it to the next level and didn’t want to get side-stepped,” Holland said in defense of his former teammate.
Even Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube chimed in, praising Pare for staying composed after the incident and focusing on his game.
“Just a tough play,” Berube said. “I mean, just trying to beat a guy. It ended up colliding. That’s all I saw. I never really looked at it any closer than that. I thought he played a good game. I mean, I don’t think he got affected by it. He stood his ground and just played.”
Berube’s support for Pare mirrors what many in the Leafs organization believe – that the hit was an unfortunate accident in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.
Despite the backlash, Pare remains focused on moving forward, while the Canadiens now face concerns over Laine’s injury. Montreal, who had high hopes for Laine after acquiring him in the offseason, now waits to see how long the forward will be sidelined.