Maple Leafs Player Received Death Threats After Patrik Laine Hit

A Toronto Maple Leafs forward received death threats after delivering a knee-on-knee hit to a Montreal Canadiens winger.

Coachella Valley forward Max McCormick (17) skates under pressure from Colorado forward Cedric Pare (65) during the first period of their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

This NHL preseason has been wild, just ask the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. During a recent matchup, the two teams went at it after Leafs forward Cedric Pare delivered a knee-on-knee hit to Habs scorer Patrik Laine. The hit triggered a slew of scrums, a pair of injuries, and a fine issued.

The Maple Leafs and Canadiens were hoping to leave those issues on the ice, but Pare's had to endure further abuse off of it. According to NHL insider Darren Dreger, the Toronto forward received multiple death threats on social media after the incident. Speaking on a recent episode of TSN's Insider Trading, Dreger discussed some of the insight he's heard.

"Im told that the Toronto Maple Leafs security group had to intervene and disable Pare's social media account based on death threats and abusive comments directed at him," he said. "Its one thing to have a raw rivalry, it's another thing to cross a line."

For Canadiens fans, it's clear that the injury to Laine is eliciting a ton of emotion. This comes despite Laine himself tempering the heat on the situation. He informed the media during a recent interview that Pare had reached out and apologized for the hit. He also characterized the play as accidental, even taking blame for putting himself into a vulnerable situation.

Laine is set to miss a few months as he recovers from a knee sprain. The good news for the Habs is that the sniper doesn't require surgery to fix whatever the issue is with his knee, meaning that he should be back and able to play during the regular season.

The Canadiens acquired Laine this summer from the Columbus Blue Jackets, giving the former second-overall pick a fresh start in Montreal. His arrival sparked significant excitement and optimism for the Habs, as he rounded out a top-six forward group that was desperate for another scorer.

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