New Canadien Patrik Laine makes a colourful arrival in Montreal

Patrik Laine made a bold fashion statement during his first visit to the Canadiens’ locker room at the Bell Centre on Sunday. The Finnish forward, known for his distinctive style, has cultivated a passion for fashion throughout his eight NHL seasons with the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets.

“It’s Patrik Laine vs. everyone else,” Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic noted in October 2022 when she ranked Laine at the top of the site’s NHL style rankings for the season.

The Canadiens acquired Laine from the Blue Jackets on Aug. 19, along with a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, in exchange for defenceman Jordan Harris.

Laine arrived at the Bell Centre on Sunday in a vibrant outfit, wearing a pink ball cap, a white hoodie, black-and-white pants resembling a mix of sweatpants and pyjamas, and bright green running shoes. He also tried on his new Canadiens jersey, which featured his name and the number 92.

Laine, who has worn No. 29 since entering the NHL, had to choose a new number as the Canadiens retired No. 29 in honor of Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden. The only other players to wear No. 92 for the Canadiens are Steve Ott (2017), Jonathan Drouin (2018-22), and Nicolas Beaudin (2024).

When it comes to making bold fashion statements, Laine’s only competition among former Canadiens might be P.K. Subban. Among current players, Arber Xhekaj and Michael Pezzetta also share a strong interest in fashion.

On Tuesday, Laine skated with some of his new teammates, including captain Nick Suzuki, at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard.

In a previous interview with Columbus Monthly, Laine discussed his love for fashion and mentioned that he often works with Columbus designer Ethan Weisman of Pantheon Limited for many of his standout suits. However, he emphasized that he doesn’t dress to impress others.

“I just do my thing,” Laine said.

Laine also shared that he used to favor “track suits, sweatpants” but has become more interested in fashion in recent years.

“I’m open to wearing any colors,” Laine told Columbus Monthly. “The more colorful, the better.”

When asked about his casual attire, Laine said, “Probably 75 percent of my closet is from Lululemon, so usually their clothes and whatever different, weird colors I have, I’ll just throw them on. It’s more about being relaxed off the ice. I never wear jeans; I just don’t think they’re comfortable at all. Why wear jeans at home when I can wear shorts or sweatpants or underwear?”

Laine added that he doesn’t concern himself with how others react to his colorful outfits.

“I’m just doing it because I like it,” he told Columbus Monthly. “There’s been some positive reactions so far, but even if it was negative, I wouldn’t really care.”