Canadiens F Patrik Laine out 3-4 months after surgery

Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine is expected to be sidelined at least three to four months after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury, the team announced Saturday.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Mark Zoland at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York.

Laine, who last played Oct. 16, has one assist and a minus-3 rating in five games this season.

A seven-time 20-goal scorer, Laine has 422 points (224 goals, 198 assists) in 537 games between the Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal. Laine, 27, was the second overall pick by the Jets in the 2016 NHL Draft.