Patrik Laine Remains Unsigned, But 2 Teams Thinking About Rolling the Dice

Patrik Laine remains a free agent, and the market for the 28-year-old winger has been surprisingly quiet. That said, there’s some chatter that at least two teams have kicked the tires on the sniper and are talking internally about whether he’s the right kind of risk to take this season.

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According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, teams have been calling about Laine multiple times, but none has been willing to commit. LeBrun noted that Calgary has explored the possibility but is waiting to see more from its young players before making a move. The Detroit Red Wings have also discussed Laine internally, though it seems quite obvious that everything there appears to be on pause.

LeBrun suggested Laine could sign a performance-based deal in which his base salary is the only guaranteed money, a structure that would limit risk for interested clubs. For that reason alone, Laine might make sense as a low-risk add-on. He could even become a deadline flip piece that a team uses to pick up a prospect or a draft pick. The investment alone makes it surprising that more teams haven’t pursued a player of Laine’s age.

Part of the holdup may be on Laine’s end. On the FAN Hockey Show on September 28, Elliotte Friedman said he has heard Laine has a preference about where he wants to play. Friedman said some teams that inquired were outside the area Laine favors, and Laine felt they weren’t the right fit for him.

For now, Laine’s next destination remains unclear as the season approaches. Michael Bunting signed with the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, so it seems there is still a team out there that will see Laine as a viable option. The Flyers added Bunting because they needed a “spark,” reported Darren Dreger. Perhaps it will take another team feeling the pinch or dealing with injuries to pick up the phone and really get serious about what bringing in Laine might mean.

Over the past five seasons, Laine has appeared in just 186 of a possible 410 games. When healthy enough to play, though, he has stayed productive, putting up an average of 32 goals and 66 points per 82 games.

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