Laine: Habs preseason debut felt like 'my 1st game in the league again'

New Canadiens winger Patrik Laine admitted he had some jitters during his preseason debut with Montreal on Monday night.

"It's the first time I've been nervous in years," he said after the Habs' 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, per The Athletic's Arpon Basu. "It's not just a new season and coming back from a long break, but it's a completely new environment, new teammates, new everything.

"So, I was quite nervous before because I wasn't sure how I would be able to perform, how the game would go. But I think it went pretty quickly. I got some touches in, got some good plays in. I felt like it was my first game in the league again. It totally wasn't, but it felt like that."

Laine was given a warm reception by those in attendance at the Bell Centre. Fans cheered whenever their exciting addition had the puck, including on one of Laine's first shifts as he eased his way into the Flyers' zone - even though it didn't result in a scoring chance.

"It was great," he said of the fans' reaction to the sequence. "But it was like, 'Aaaah, uhhhh.' I just couldn't do anything with it. But it was fun to hear. Hopefully, next time, try to do something with the puck after."

The Finn didn't end up on the scoresheet in his first taste of action since December, but he led all players on both teams with five shots and nine individual shot attempts, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"I had a lot of scoring chances, that's for sure," Laine said. "I just couldn't finish. Good thing you don't win the (Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy) in the preseason."

With Laine in pursuit of a change of scenery, Montreal acquired the sniper and a 2026 second-round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenseman Jordan Harris back in August.

Laine was limited to just 18 games in 2023-24 because of a fractured clavicle and a subsequent stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. He cited his mental health as the reason for his lengthy absence.

After being traded to the Canadiens, the 26-year-old said he's "happier than ever" off the ice and is ready to embrace the spotlight that comes with a market like Montreal.

Laine has three 30-goal seasons under his belt, including a career-high 44-goal campaign in 2017-18. The Winnipeg Jets selected him with the second overall pick at the 2016 NHL Draft.

The Habs will open their regular season on home ice Oct. 9 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.