The Vancouver Canucks are having a tough start to the season, which was expected with them rebuilding.
The Canucks are currently sporting a 2-5-0 record and have lost each of their last four games. With this, the Pacific Division club has certainly been going through a rough patch early on.
Although the Canucks have struggled early on, they should not be afraid to bring in some new talent during the early stages of the season. It would not hurt for them to add another scoring winger to their roster.
Due to this, one player who could make sense for the Canucks to take a gamble on is former 44-goal star forward Patrik Laine. The 28-year-old is still an unrestricted free agent with the season here. He would be an interesting player for the Canucks to add on a one-year, prove-it deal.
Laine Is One of the Best Free Agents Left & Could Help the Canucks Out in the Short Term
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson ranked Laine as the second best unrestricted free agent left. It makes sense, as the 2016 second-overall pick has a very good resume and has been a star in the past.
“Injuries and inconsistency plagued Patrik Laine in recent years, derailing his career as a high-scoring winger. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old Finn could be a good addition for teams that need a scoring boost, especially on the power play,” Richardson wrote.
With Laine still being available, the Canucks should consider bringing him in. He could slot well in their top nine and would give them another high-impact forward to work with during the man advantage.
While Laine only had an assist in five games last season for the Montreal Canadiens, he would be an interesting bounce-back candidate for the Canucks to add. He has scored at least 20 goals in seven NHL seasons and has hit the 30-goal mark three times. This included him scoring 44 goals with the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18.
Laine also had 52 points in 55 games in 2022-23 and 56 points in 56 games for the Blue Jackets in 2021-22. These seasons were not very long ago, so it is fair to wonder if he could heat back up on a team like Vancouver.
Laine Could Be Good Trade Chip for Canucks If He Bounced Back
If Laine stayed healthy and put up good numbers for the Canucks, he could become a good trade chip for them at the deadline. Thus, he is exactly the kind of veteran sniper who Vancouver should consider giving an opportunity.
It will be interesting to see if the Canucks make a push for Laine from here. With Vancouver rebuilding, there would be no harm in them taking a chance on a former star who has plenty to prove, like Laine.
Canucks Should Consider Signing Former 44-Goal Sniper in Bold Move