The Montreal Canadiens improved their lineup in a major way this summer with the trade acquisition of defenseman Noah Dobson. But while that may be the only significant off-season move Canadiens GM Kent Hughes makes, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a roster decision looming for Montreal.

Specifically, we’re talking about the status of veteran right winger Patrik Laine. The 27-year-old sniper is entering the final season of a contract that pays him an average annual payday of $8.7 million – an amount that had made him the highest-paid player on the Habs prior to Dobson’s contract extension that has an average annual value of $9.5 million. But what can Canadiens management really expect out of Laine – and what is he capable of delivering?

The Canadiens have more than enough salary cap space to give Laine an extension. As it stands, Montreal has $38.1 million in cap space for the 2026-27 campaign, and while the Habs will need some of that to give star defenseman and RFA Lane Hutson a new deal, the Canadiens don’t have to worry about a cap crunch anytime soon.

Still, it’s a challenge to project what Laine is worth at this stage. We’re talking about a player who, thanks to some unfortunate luck, hasn’t played more than 56 games in any of the past five seasons. And Laine – a 44-goal scorer at his peak – also has only been able to put up more than 28 goals and 60 points or more just once in the past seven years.

So, Hughes has to figure out, sooner than later, what the Canadiens are going to do about Laine’s future in Montreal. Do they re-sign him at the same amount, convince him to take less than market value to remain a Hab, or decide the end is nigh for him and either trade him within the next year or allow him to walk away for nothing in return other than his expiring cap hit? 

You could probably make a decent argument for any one of those choose-your-own-adventure possibilities. But that’s why Montreal is paying Hughes – he needs to figure out the right direction for the team, and Laine may not ultimately be part of it.

Laine does have a modified no-trade clause allowing him to veto a deal to one of 10 teams of his choice. But that leaves 21 teams Hughes can trade Laine to without needing his approval. And that means Canadiens brass have enough potential trade partners to drum up a strong trade market for Laine.

The sales pitch for Laine on the trade block is easy: here’s a player entering his prime, and if he can stay off the injured list, he can provide a great boost of offense at even strength and on the power play. Indeed, 15 of Laine’s 20 goals last season came with the man-advantage, and 19 of his 33 points came with the extra man. Montreal would love to see more even-strength production from Laine, but for another potential employer, Laine’s offense would be enough to take a chance on – provided his next salary is deemed appropriate.

And there’s the rub. Is there at least one team prepared to give Laine a raise on his current salary? That team would be taking a significant gamble on him, but in a market that’s going to flourish with the rise in the salary cap ceiling, perhaps there is such a team. Still, is that team going to be Montreal? We’re not at all sure that the Canadiens are prepared to retain Laine at $9-million per-season or more. And if they’re not prepared to do so, it’s probably best that Hughes starts shopping Laine in the coming weeks and months. 

There’s no pressure to move Laine imminently, but the longer he goes without an extension, the more likely it is that Laine’s time as a Canadien will be coming to an end. Business is business, and the way business has been going for Laine, he’s going to either have to accept a pay cut to remain in Montreal or find himself playing elsewhere.

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