Frustration Continues To Grow For Patrik Laine And The Canadiens After Rough Stretch

Through his first month of action in Montreal, Patrik Laine was playing at a superstar level and winning over the Canadiens faithful, but as of late, things certainly haven't been going as well.

Not only have Montreal taken a huge step back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs race, but Laine has struggled as well, failing to register a point in eight straight games, with the frustration clearly growing for the 26-year old.

On Sunday, that frustration became clear on the ice, as Laine let out his anger on the way back to the bench in a game that would ultimately end in a tough 5-3 loss for Montreal, making them just 1-4-0 in their last five overall.

When he first arrived in Montreal, the team were red-hot behind Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and rookie Lane Hutson, but as of late they've cooled off, falling six points out of a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot, and it's clear that it's now weighing on the whole team, Laine included.

At 26-years of age, Laine is expected to be a consistent star level player in the NHL at this point given his experience and his clear talent, and while 18 points in 28 games is solid, much more is expected from the former No. 2 overall draft pick, especially given the excitement and potential career revival in Montreal.

With plenty of season to go and a Four Nations break to get back on track, things definitely aren't over in Montreal for the team or the player, but if the frustration continues to mount, things could go sideways for the Canadiens in a hurry moving forward.