For the past few weeks, winger Patrik Laine has been a full participant at most Montreal Canadiens practices as he works his way back from core muscle surgery. However, assuming he’s medically cleared to play after the Olympics, there’s little expectation that it’ll be with the Canadiens.
In a recent article, Eric Engels of Sportsnet strongly implied Laine wouldn’t play for Montreal again this season, writing, “If the 27-year-old Finn sees any post-Olympics action, we expect it to be for someone other than the Canadiens.” That suggests that Montreal will quickly begin trade negotiations regarding Laine, if they haven’t already.
Unfortunately, the major hangup in any Laine trade is his bloated salary. Laine’s cap hit sits at $8.7MM through the end of the season, and he’s earning a $9.1MM salary. Although the cap hit has received much scrutiny, Laine was coming off a 26-goal, 56-point performance in 56 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets, was only 23 years old at the time, and had already scored 250 points in 306 games for the Winnipeg Jets.
Still, there’s no question he hasn’t lived up to that contract. He had a decent follow-up performance with the Blue Jackets, but injuries have derailed him since. Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Laine has played in only 75 games, which is 33.9% of the total possible contests.
He was a quality secondary scorer for the Canadiens last season, registering 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games. 15 of his goals were scored on power plays, making him less effective at even-strength. This season, due to the core muscle surgery, Laine has tallied only one assist in five games.
As Engels points out, Montreal would undoubtedly have to eat some of Laine’s remaining salary, and may even need to attach an additional sweetener. According to Engels, that’s not something the Canadiens are keen to do.
Unfortunately, the Canadiens won’t have much wiggle room until Laine is entirely off the roster come July 1st. Given the organization’s need for cap space, it would make little sense to swap Laine for another bad contract, especially one signed beyond this season. Despite his lack of availability over the past few years and his subpar play at even strength, there are a few teams with ample cap space to take a flyer on Laine down the stretch.
As it stands, the Detroit Red Wings, Seattle Kraken, New York Islanders, and Los Angeles Kings are all teams battling for a playoff spot, averaging below three goals per game. The Red Wings and Kraken might be less interested in a player like Laine, given that their power plays are among the league’s best. Furthermore, the Kings are counting on Artemi Panarin to offset the offensive shortcomings, whom they acquired before the Olympic break.
That leaves the Islanders, who are currently third in the Metropolitan Division, 24th in GF/G, and 30th in power-play percentage. Would the Canadiens be interested in a different expiring asset, like Jean-Gabriel Pageau, to deepen their center depth? Acquiring a secondary scorer like Pageau may at least make it more palatable for Montreal to eat salary and attach a draft pick to Laine. New York has some flexibility with their salary cap, so the Canadiens may only need to eat a few million dollars, giving them most of what they are looking for.
Still, the immediate question that comes to mind is Laine’s perceived fit in Patrick Roy‘s scheme. Contextualized by his public battles with Anthony Duclair over the past few years, there is a zero-tolerance policy in New York for taking a shift off.
It sounds like Montreal is looking to add a quality top six forward. That’s the same thing Seattle is looking to add so I’m not sure it makes sense for them to clear the way for Montreal to go after the player they themselves are looking for.
After MTL pays down his cap hit to make a trade, does that really give them enough cap flexibility to sign any needle-movers? Unless they have a guy in mind that requires just enough space that they absolutely need to offload Laine. Otherwise keeping him for a playoff run wouldn’t be the worst plan.
He didn’t outright say it, but Engels strongly suggested that the Canadiens just don’t feel a need to have Laine on the team. They’re capable of scoring without him (3rd in GF/G, 7th in PP%). Not saying it’s likely, but if they ate $2MM and traded him to the NY Islanders for Pageau ($5MM), that would give them ~$3MM for deadline day, which is plenty for another addition or two.
@Brennan – Do you know if the Habs are on Pageau’s 16-team NTC? If so, I’d be blocking such a move if I were him, unless he and Patrick aren’t seeing eye-to-eye anymore.
Laine with Roy looking over his shoulder? How long before that gets ugly?
Or, in Laine’s case, pouty ….
Given the low price
Leafs should try to catch lightning in a bottle and try him next to Mathew’s
I could see Laine scoring 40 with like 18 assists lol
Just cherry pick. Stand in the corner and roof it!
They have enough floaters on that team with Nylander and Domi
Maybe you are new to hockey but guys rarely shoot from the corner and the success rate is very low.
Laine needs Marner, not Matthews!
Put him on the PP with Ovi. Defenses can’t overload both sides!
Especially if the Caps never enter the zone.
I like the way you’re thinking with that but they’re both right shots and line up on the same side on the PP…
As a Red Wing fan…Pass.. They need 2 top 4 young defense men..
Morgan Reilly to Detroit
Detroit sends stuff to Montreal
Laine and loose change to Toronto
Laine is toxic. He’s the only blemish on Montreal GM’s otherwise stellar performance. Finding a GM incompetent enough to acquire Laine will be difficult, especially after Barry Trotz’s half-resignation.
What blemish? They acquired him with a 1st for Jordan Harris. Even if we get a 4th, with the picks, we didn’t lose much
With a 2nd.
Laine only plays hockey 5% of the time. He doesn’t belong in the NHL. He belongs in a no-contact, skills sideshow.
Look at how the team is put together. All character, almost all the time. Laine was a misfit right from the start. He was a gamble that management was hopeful of leveraging into someone they could actually win with. It’s safe to say that experiment failed, highlighting one of their few missteps/missed timing moves.
Still a win. Let’s see what gets done with laine first
It will be interesting to see what Montreal has to give up to get rid of that contract
To the Caps for Sonny Milano and a 5th. MTL retains 25% salary.
MTL uses the sudden free cap space to get their next trade.
Laine is worth anything so Montreal would have to give up something more in order for a team to take that bad contract back. A team like the Rangers could be a fit for example. They can send hometown hero Alexia Lafreniere to Montreal for Laine, a first, and top prospect Michael Hage.
lol no
So a guy who was a first rounder but has not lived up to it has become worth more than just a first round pick? Would love to hear how you did that math.
Montreal made one mistake getting him in the first place, even if taking that chance made sense at the time. No chance they compound it by doing this
Canucks will take Laine + 1st for Garland + 3rd
Bring Kokaniemi home