The summer hockey lull in Montreal has been anything but quiet, as a surge of excitement sweeps through Brossard with the unexpected early return of several Canadiens players.

In a scene more reminiscent of training camp than a mid-July morning, fans and insiders alike are buzzing with enthusiasm as familiar faces—and even a few surprises—hit the ice.

Among the most talked-about stories is the renewed energy and dedication of Patrik Laine, whose relentless work ethic has turned heads and sparked conversation across the hockey community.

For the third consecutive day, Laine was the first player at the bench, eagerly awaiting his chance to lead the group onto the freshly resurfaced ice.

This remarkable commitment has not gone unnoticed, offering a promising glimpse into the mindset of a player determined to make an impact.

With almost the entire roster present and the city abuzz over the upcoming wedding of captain Nick Suzuki, this unexpected burst of activity has injected a fresh sense of optimism and anticipation into Montreal’s hockey scene, setting the stage for what could be a truly memorable season ahead.

Patrik Laine

Photo credit: X/Marc-Olivier Cook

We’ve got more action once again, live from Brossard, as several Montreal Canadiens players hit the ice in the middle of July.

This update comes thanks to the great work of Marc-Olivier Cook from DansLesCoulisses, and there are a few pleasant surprises.

Notably, some new faces have been spotted in town.

For the first time in a while, Mike Matheson and Jakub Dobes hit the ice with their Montreal Canadiens teammates.

At this point, nearly everyone is here!

Another Incredible Gesture from Patrik Laine

In the category of things no one had on their bingo card this summer: Patrik Laine being the most motivated and hardest-working player!

Yes, once again today, Laine was the first one on the ice!

And it gets better.

He literally waited at the players’ bench for several minutes (until the Zamboni finished resurfacing the ice), just so he could be the very first one out there.

I love it, love it, love it!

“For the 3rd day in a row, Patrik Laine is the first at the bench, ready to jump on the ice with the group in Brossard.”

It’s completely unexpected, but incredibly positive.

It’s worth noting there’s a very specific reason behind this sudden influx of Canadiens players returning to town as we reported yesterday.

It’s clear that many well-known guests are in town for the upcoming wedding of captain Nick Suzuki.