One of the most intriguing players left on the free agent market as training camps get underway is undoubtedly Patrik Laine. The former Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Montreal Canadiens forward is a polarizing player. He was, at one point, set to become one of the league’s most dangerous goal scorers, but injuries and other off-ice situations have caused him to miss significant time and lower his offensive contributions.
A Finnish podcast called the Urheliucast reported early this week that the Anaheim Ducks had met with Laine and were expected to negotiate with him after the Cutter Gauthier signing was finalized. Those reports were rebutted on Friday by Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune who posted the following on X: “When it comes to any rumors connecting the Ducks and Patrik Laine, I’ve been told ‘categorically untrue’.”
Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton mentioned Anaheim as a potential landing spot for Laine as well in a recent episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE as well, but were discussing it as a pure hypothetical rather than as a report.
Why Would Laine Help the Ducks?
Although the reports of discussions between the Ducks and Laine were disputed by Cavanagh, the fit could theoretically make sense. With Chris Kreider leaving the organization in order to fit Gauthier’s contract, the Ducks could use a cheap goal-scorer to take his place. The Ducks currently have just over $2-million in cap space and given Laine’s disappointing stint in Montreal, he likely won’t command more than that at this stage of his career.
Last season, Laine appeared in just five games and recorded a single assist. His first season in Quebec was more memorable, as he hit the 20-goal plateau for the sixth time in his career but was once again limited by his health, appearing in just 52 games. In fact, Laine hasn’t appeared in 60 or more games since the 2019-20 season when he was still a member of the Winnipeg Jets.
In the last three seasons, Laine has appeared in just 75 games at the NHL level. When he’s on the ice, he’s an effective goal-scorer in most cases even if he’s not the same player who once put up 44 goals with the Jets almost a decade ago. He can be a cheap, useful player if used in a third-line scoring role. At this point though, offering anything more than a one-year contract would carry significant risk given his lack of availability in recent years.
The Last of Laine?
Given the fact that he hasn’t signed a contract, or even a professional tryout at this stage, it seems fair to question whether any NHL teams are willing to give the 28-year-old another opportunity to prove that he belongs at this level.
If this is the case, Laine’s career can be looked upon as a warning sign to top prospects in any given draft class. Early success, even at the NHL level, doesn’t always guarantee a lengthy, memorable career. Some players struggle to live up to expectations in the biggest hockey league in the world.
At this stage, it wouldn’t be strange to see Laine sign back in his native Finland or in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League, but for now, we just have to wait and see what’s next for the winger.
Reports Linking Anaheim Ducks to Patrik Laine “Untrue”