Maple Leafs’ security forced to intervene and protect player following death threats
This is reaching a dangerous level and definitely crossing a line!
Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine spoke about his knee injury on Thursday and did not place any blame on Toronto Maple Leafs’ Cedric Pare after Saturday’s knee-on-knee collision that sidelined the new Habs player for two to three months.
“I don’t think anybody’s trying to hurt anybody,” Laine told reporters. “Hockey’s a fast game and kind of put myself in that situation a little bit trying to make a stop. It’s just an unfortunate collision, and he texted me afterwards, which I give him respect for that.”
The Maple Leafs are hoping Laine’s comments will help to calm some senseless fans down after the team’s security was forced to disable Pare’s social media accounts due to abuse and threats he received after the incident. This is what Darren Dreger reported on last night’s Insider Trading on TSN when speaking about the incident and the impact on the Montreal/Toronto rivalry:
“Perhaps some of the heat has cooled by Laine coming out describing it as an unfortunate play, saying that he put himself in that position a little bit. He did acknowledge that Pare sent him a text afterward. So, again, maybe that has cooled things a little bit, but I think there needs to be an appreciation here for what Pare had to also go through. I’m 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. So it’s one thing to have a raw rivalry, it’s another thing to cross a line.”
Laine was diagnosed with a knee sprain and won’t undergo surgery, though he will start his Canadiens tenure on the sideline.
“It’s fun to be around, obviously much rather be on the ice,” he said. “Kind of dodged a bullet with the knee; it could’ve been much worse. I mean, I’m not still happy with the injury, but it is what is and just trying to stay positive. We’ll be back.”
The Finnish forward came to Montreal via trade this past August, along with a second-round pick, from the Columbus Blue Jackets in return for Jordan Harris. He’s also become an advocate for mental health and I’m sure he does not want any one bullying or threatening Pare for the unfortunate incident.
