The Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to Patrik Laine seemingly forever. But now, it seems that it’s safe to say that the Laine ship has sailed in Toronto.
The whole point behind signing the former Montreal Canadiens forward was that he could have been a cost-effective piece, potentially providing depth scoring.
However, there was one move that essentially erased the possibility. Last week, the Leafs signed forward Brendan Brisson to a one-year deal. The signing pushed the Maple Leafs to the 50-contract limit.
As such, if Toronto still wanted to sign Laine at this point, the team would have to trade someone to free up a contract spot.
And, well, that’s easier said than done.
The fact is that if the Leafs wanted Laine, they wouldn’t have signed Brisson. The club would have kept that final roster spot open, allowing for Laine to join the team.
The Maple Leafs didn’t do that, pretty much shutting the door on any future additions, for the time being.
It’s worth pointing out that it doesn’t necessarily mean that Laine will never join the Leafs. There is always the chance that things could change. But until there’s a roster spot open for him, it’s tough to envisage him joining the team anytime soon.
Maple Leafs Better Off Without Laine
The bottom line is that the Maple Leafs are better off without Patrik Laine. He’s too much of a gamble for a team that’s looking to contend this season. And given his one-dimensional skill set, it’s just not worth taking a flyer on Laine.
The former second-overall pick is no longer a top-six forward. Even if he was, there really isn’t a spot for him in the Maple Leafs’ top six.
Plus, he doesn’t have the profile of a bottom-six grinder. He’s never been a defensive-oriented forward, and he’s unlikely to be one at this point.
That’s why it just doesn’t make sense for the Leafs to even consider Laine at this point. Unless he were willing to play in a much more diminished role and take on far more defensive responsibility, the Finnish forward just doesn’t fit in Toronto.
Laine could still be an effective NHL forward, but it would have to be with a team still willing to give him a chance to play more of an offensive middle-six role with a need for a power play specialist.
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Laine Contract Demands Likely at the Heart of the Matter
Laine is still relatively young. He’s 28 and could still have some tread left on his tires. That’s why he’s likely still pushing for a multi-year deal. There might be a dimension in which an NHL team would be willing to sign him for three or four seasons.
But in this reality, that’s a tough sell.
Laine is long removed from a full season and has pretty much lost the 40-goal upside he once had. As a result, it seems extremely difficult that any team, particularly the Maple Leafs, would want to give Laine more than a one-year deal. In fact, the prevailing chatter has been that Laine is a Professional Tryout (PTO) candidate. Even if there was a team willing to sign him for, say, three years, his cap hit would be nowhere near the $8.7 million he made last season.
Ultimately, there might still be a scenario in which Patrik Laine ends up in Toronto. But such a situation will have to wait until things change this season.
Maple Leafs Unlikely to Sign Laine Because of This Move