Patrik Laine hasnāt been able to establish himself at home at any of his past NHL teams. Perhaps, that could all end as he is set to enter a contract year with the Montreal Canadiens. As reports indicate, the elite goalscorer could be in for the long-haul in the City of Saints.
Laineās journey in the NHL has been nothing short of a rollercoaster so far. After being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 2017, the former second overall pick has had his run-ins with different organizations.
Laine demanded a trade out of Winnipeg and his wish was fulfilled by the Jets, who shipped him off to the Columbus Blue Jackets in January 2021. The winger didnāt fare much better in the Discovery City, and thus, was sent to Montreal ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season.
Laine is now entering the last season of his four-year, $34.8 million contract as he hopes to have another strong campaign with the Habs. On that note, reports indicate Laine might finally enjoy some job security.
Patrik Laine #92 of the Montreal Canadiens arrives for the game against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
āI think itās probably pretty unlikely at this point [for Laine to be traded],ā insider Frank Seravalli reported on Bleacher Reportās Insider Notebook. āLetās see how the season starts and what kind of productivity level he finds.ā
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Signs of hope
Of course, Laine will have to create his own luck during the 2025-26 NHL campaign. The 27-year-old put on a strong production this past season, especially as he returned from a 24-game absence due to a knee sprain.
In 52 games, the Habsā winger racked up 20 goals and 13 assists. To no oneās surprise, the Finnish forward remained a lethal scorer on the power play. Despite the limited number of outings, Laine recorded his third-best mark in power-play goals, tallying 15 with the man advantage. Moreover, he finished third in the NHL in power-play goals. Had he played more games, heād have undoubtedly challenged for the league lead in special-teams scoring.
Patrik Laine #92 of the Montreal Canadiens is seen in crutches as he is introduced during the pre-game ceremony against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0.
Two sides to the story
With statistics, what they leave out can be just as telling as what they show. Laineās impressive production on the man advantage also exposes a major concern in his game.
In this case, Laineās abundance of power-play goals highlights a noticeable lack of scoring at even strength. Whether thatās something the Habs can live with remains a question likely to be answered closer to the end of the 2025ā26 campaign.
