One of the most interesting offseason questions pertains to former Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine. The term “former” applies here, as there is virtually no chance the Habs will be bringing Laine back next season.
As such, a new report in the Montreal Gazette states that Laine has five options on the table. The 28-year-old has reportedly drawn interest from five different teams: The Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, and New York Rangers.
On the surface, Laine’s offensive skills would make sense for all of the aforementioned clubs. However, his virtually nonexistent skill set elsewhere would make it hard for these teams to take a chance on Laine.
“In many ways, Laine remains a one-trick pony — a player with a terrific shot who set up in the faceoff circle when Montreal enjoyed the man advantage and simply blasted the puck past opposing goaltenders. Teams appeared reluctant to cover him, or they figured their netminders might stop the shots.”
If teams brought in the former Canadiens player as a power play specialist, there’s a good chance even that might not work out. That’s why it seems that signing Laine would be a case of where the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
There’s a Good Reason Why Canadiens Passed on Laine
Assuming Laine is still a viable offensive option, that’s pretty much everything teams would be getting. His limited defensive upside and reputation as a lazy player could be a major turnoff. As the report shows, Laine won’t be winning the Selke Trophy anytime soon. And that’s something that makes signing the former second-overall pick a challenging prospect.
“Defence, on the other hand, remains a four-letter word for Laine. He has a goal differential of minus-75 for his career and was minus-14 with the Canadiens in 2024-25. With Columbus in 2020-21, he was a mind-boggling minus-29 in only 45 games. He went minus-24 with the Jets in 2018-19.”
Yes, plus/minus is a bit of a flawed statistic. But when looking at advanced numbers, Laine just isn’t trusted in a defensive role. In 2024-25 with the Canadiens, Laine started just 3.6% of his shifts in the defensive zone, compared to 27.1% in the other team’s zone.
That’s a stark contrast, and something that teams looking for value will be wary of.
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Will Fans See Laine in 2026-27?
The short answer is no. If Laine is seriously holding out for a multi-year deal, he’ll likely sit the entire season. A major concern for teams, beyond his defensive shortcomings, is his injury history. In the two seasons Laine spent with the Canadiens, he sustained a serious knee injury and underwent core muscle surgery.
That’s why potentially interested teams would think twice about signing him to anything beyond a one-year deal.
However, prevailing wisdom suggests that the former Canadiens player would be more of a Professional Tryout (PTO) candidate. Given the way things are going, he may have no other choice. Laine will need to prove he’s still got it, even if it means taking a step back this upcoming season.
Canadiens Former Forward Has 5 Options on the Table