The NHL off-season started off in absolute chaos, but after all of the trades and the initial burst of free agency, things have gotten very, very quiet over the past few weeks, with no blockbuster moves to speak of since the early days of 2026 free agency.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still some intriguing players out there, and with the 2026/27 regular season still over two months away, there’s plenty of time for those free agents to find new homes. One of the most intriguing of all is veteran winger Patrik Laine, and while he didn’t make much of an impact a year ago, given his proven ability to score goals, he could be an incredible pickup on the cheap for a contending team.
Patrik Laine Linked to the Minnesota Wild
GettyPatrik Laine of the Montreal Canadiens.
For the Minnesota Wild, this has been a fairly productive summer as they acquired veteran winger Blake Coleman, and with the team still in active pursuit of Dylan Larkin, they could be upgrading down the middle in a big way as they look to take a step or two forward after 2025/26.
Right now, it’s unclear if that deal is dead following the departure of Steve Yzerman as Red Wings General Manager, but if it is, the team may need to give up an important winger to get the deal across the line. If that is the case, the team may look towards someone they pursued earlier in the season as a replacement, with Joe Smith of The Athletic reporting that earlier in the summer, the team were heavily chasing veteran Patrik Laine.
With the acquisition of Coleman, things on that front have certainly quietened down, but with the team looking to head into the new season full of depth, danger and star power, adding Laine as a cheap free agent could work wonders for a Wild team looking to go deep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Where Will Patrik Laine end up in Free Agency?
Unfortunately for Laine, he’s yet to find a new home in the National Hockey League, and while his time in Montreal had some success, for the most part he wasn’t able to find his rhythm, as he appeared in just five games for the team a year ago.
In the season prior however, Laine hit the ground running after an injury, tallying 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games, and while he’s yet to find a new home, there’s been plenty of reported interest in him, especially if he can get back to 100% health, with the 28-year-old once being considered one of the best goal scorers in the entire league.
At this point in time, it doesn’t appear as though the Wild are going to immediately circle back on Laine, but with the team needing all the talent they can get, especially in a world in which they potentially give up assets to acquire Larkin, this is definitely a player that could step in and help them immediately in 2026/27 and potentially beyond.
Western Conference Contender Linked to Free Agent Patrik Laine