Canadiens' Patrik Laine to miss 3-4 months after core muscle surgery

Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine will miss three to four months after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury, the team announced Saturday, removing a top scoring option from the lineup as the club begins the NHL season. The Canadiens said Laine had the procedure on Oct. 24 in New York and that the operation was performed by Dr. Mark Zoland. The team gave a recovery timeline of three to four months.

Laine has not played since Oct. 16 and appeared in five games this season, recording one assist while averaging about 12 minutes 26 seconds of ice time per night. The team had initially listed him as day to day with a lower-body issue and said he sought a second medical opinion before the decision to operate. The club described the injury in French as a sports hernia and in English as a core muscle injury.

This is the second consecutive season in which Laine has missed significant time because of injury. Last season he missed the first 24 games after suffering a preseason knee injury. When he returned he scored 20 goals and added 13 assists in 52 games, and was a major contributor on the power play, finishing with 15 power-play goals. Laine, 27, was acquired by...