Patrik Laine feels Montreal Canadiens 'building something special'

Patrik Laine can't wait to get things started in Montreal.

The newest Canadiens forward attended a fundraising golf tournament with his teammates on Monday and met with the media in between holes. Laine made things very clear, he's thrilled to join Montreal and feels GM Kent Hughes is building something special.

"It's not a secret that the last couple of years have been a little tough but I think it's great to get this new opportunity with this team and that's something I was hoping for," Laine said via Sean Farrell of NHL.com. "Obviously I got the chance to come here and I was super excited right away when I got the call. I feel like they're building something special here so I'm happy to be a part of it."

Laine joins the Canadiens after being dealt by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Last season Laine appeared in 18 game, recording nine points and also began receiving care from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in January, before being released in July. Laine has high expectations for himself and his new team.

"I feel like there's no better place to play in terms of a hockey market, so I'm super excited obviously to be here and finally to have these fans be on my side for once," Laine said. "You know it's not fun to come here as a visitor, that's for sure. I'm just super excited to be here and obviously getting to play at one of the greatest rinks in hockey and in front of probably the best fans in the world. So it should be great."

After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, the re-tooling Canadiens are hopeful it's a much different story in 2024-25.