With the uncertainty of Brad Marchand's health and the numerous speculative reports linking Patrik Laine to the Florida Panthers, we look at the risks and rewards of signing the 28-year-old sniper.
While there haven't been any concrete rumors from trusted NHL insiders, speculation has linked the Florida Panthers with winger Patrik Laine.
For starters, Laine is currently an unrestricted free agent without a contract just a little over a month before the 2026-27 NHL season begins. He's also been training in South Florida.
The next factor linking the Panthers and Laine is the latest injury update from Brad Marchand. The 38-year-old dealt with a lingering injury throughout the season, which he hoped to rehab. Unfortunately, Marchand announced that he had undergone surgery and will likely miss the start of the season.
At the moment, the exact length of Marchand's absence from the Panthers' lineup remains undetermined, which has led to the next wave of Laine rumors.
If Marchand does miss significant time and is placed on the long-term injury reserve, the Panthers would receive salary cap relief of his $5.25 million contract, which would give them ample space to bring in a player like Laine for one season.
The final reason why Laine is being linked to the Panthers is the Finnish connection. Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, and Niko Mikkola are fellow countrymen of Laine.
For a player like Laine, who has struggled for a little while now, some familiarity could help him regain his confidence and find his game.
Laine's contract, wherever he signs, will most likely be a one-year deal at a fairly low price. The reason is that consistency and availability have plagued him.
The 28-year-old played just five games with the Montreal Canadiens last year, recording just one assist. The year prior, he played in 52 games, scoring 20 goals and 33 points. While the goal-scoring was decent, 15 of his 20 goals came on the man advantage.
Before joining the Habs, Laine had a pair of poor seasons and a pair of strong seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
But Laine was at his best with the Winnipeg Jets, who selected him second overall in the 2016 NHL draft. In his first four seasons, Laine scored 36 goals in 73 games, 44 in 82, 30 in 82, and 28 in 68.
The skill level to be an NHL superstar was once there, but whether it was due to his work ethic, injury issues, or another factor, that player seems long gone, and as he approaches his thirties, he really doesn't have much time to get back to that level.
The issue with Laine is that outside of scoring, he doesn't offer much else. Despite standing 6-foot-4, he isn't a physical player. He isn't defensively responsible; he isn't fast or a fierce forechecker, and his playmaking is about average.
Plenty of risks come with signing Laine, but if the Panthers or any other team, for that matter, believe they can get the best out of Laine and find a role for him to thrive in, he could be worth the risk.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
