Patrik Laine's goal-scoring talent is undeniable, but his lengthy injury history makes him a risky gamble the Calgary Flames should avoid as they continue reshaping their roster.
If the Calgary Flames are searching for more scoring this summer, Patrik Laine's name is understandably going to surface.
According to reports, Calgary is among the teams considering pursuing the former 40-goal scorer in free agency, adding another layer to what is already one of the offseason's more intriguing storylines.
On talent alone, the fit is easy to understand.
The Flames could certainly benefit from another proven finisher, and few players remaining on the market possess Laine's natural goal-scoring ability. At his best, he has shown he can take over games with one of the league's most dangerous releases and instantly elevate a power play.
The problem is that version of Laine has become increasingly difficult to rely on.
Availability has quietly become the biggest question surrounding the 28-year-old's career. Over the past three seasons, Laine has appeared in just 75 NHL games. He played only 18 contests during the 2023-24 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, suited up for 52 games with the Montreal Canadiens in 2024-25, and managed just five appearances this past season before injuries once again derailed his year.
The concern extends well beyond the last three seasons. In each of the past five years, Laine has missed significant time, and he hasn't played more than 56 games in a single season during that stretch.
That's a difficult gamble for any team.
While Calgary isn't under the same immediate pressure as a Stanley Cup contender, the organization is still trying to establish consistency while continuing its retool. The Flames need dependable players who can stay in the lineup, support the development of the club's younger talent, and contribute over the course of an 82-game season.
Laine offers tremendous upside, but that upside has increasingly been accompanied by uncertainty.
If he stays healthy, he could rediscover the form that made him one of the NHL's elite snipers. He scored a career-high 44 goals with the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18 and remains one of hockey's most gifted pure shooters.
But nearly every conversation about Laine now begins with the same qualifier: if.
If he stays healthy.
If he finds chemistry.
If he rediscovers his confidence.
If everything falls into place.
That's a long list of variables for a team trying to build sustainable success.
There is little debate that Laine still has the skill to help an NHL roster. The bigger question is whether Calgary should invest valuable roster space and resources in a player whose greatest obstacle is no longer talent, but staying on the ice.
For the Flames, that may be a risk worth avoiding—even if the upside remains tempting.
