Blue Jackets enforcer Mathieu Olivier hints at potentially targeting Patrik Laine
The Blue Jackets and Canadiens had a heated matchup last night and there is a chance that Columbus was taking runs at former Blue Jacket Patrik Laine.
Over the last 24 hours, Patrik Laine's comments about the Columbus Blue Jackets have taken over the media and infuriated the Blue Jackets. The comments from Laine were unprovoked and unprofessional and truly threw his former teammates under the bus.
"I was tired of losing and just giving up when it's December to start focusing on next year." - Patrik Laine on the end of his tenure with the Blue Jackets
This lit a fire under the Blue Jackets as they began to play a much more physical brand of hockey. The fans were also far more involved in booing Laine relentlessly every time he touched the puck.
The Blue Jackets' physicality eventually led to Laine being sidelined for the final two periods of the game last night with an upper-body injury.
During the first intermission, the French broadcast interviewed former QMJHLer and notorious enforcer Mathieu Olivier, and point-blank asked him if the Blue Jackets were targeting their former teammate. Olivier's response was more than telling.
In this situation, not outright denying that they were roughing Laine up more than they would with other players is essentially an admission of guilt in the eyes of the public.
Additionally, the statistics back this sentiment up as Laine received four hits in just 6:15 of ice time from four different Blue Jackets players. It was reportedly a clean shoulder check from Dante Fabbro that sent him to the locker room.
Laine's status is currently unknown but the Canadiens are certainly holding their breath that he can return after the holiday break.
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