If the Los Angeles Kings are serious about finding more offense this summer, Patrik Laine should be near the bottom of their shopping list. The fit makes sense at first glance. The Kings need more offense following Anze Kopitar's retirement, and Laine remains one of the most talented goal scorers available on the open market. According to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta, Los Angeles could be a team worth watching once free agency opens. "Could Patrik Laine take his game to Los Angeles? I believe that's a spot he'd have interest in, and the Kings were in talks to acquire him from Montreal ahead of the deadline," Pagnotta wrote. "Picking him up on a low-AAV, bonus-laden deal could work for both parties." On paper, it's an intriguing idea. In reality, it's probably a move the Kings should avoid at all costs. The problem has never been Laine's talent. Nobody questions his shot. Nobody questions his ability to score goals when he's healthy. The issue is that "when he's healthy" has become a major qualifier. At some point, availability matters just as much as ability. The Kings aren't looking for a reclamation project this summer. They're looking for production. They're looking for someone who can help fill the offensive void left behind by Kopitar and help push the team beyond where it's been stuck in recent years. That's why Laine feels like such a risky bet. Over the last three seasons, the former second-overall pick has appeared in just 75 games combined. He played only 18 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24, followed that with 52 appearances for the Montreal Canadiens in 2024-25 and then suited up for just five games this past season. Laine is only 28 years, but this isn't just a rough stretch, this has been a disturbing pattern. Even if you expand the timeline, the concerns don't go away. In each of the last five seasons, Laine has missed significant time, and the most games he's played in any one campaign during that span is 56. This should set off alarm bells for the Kings. If Laine can stay healthy, there's no question he can score goals. He found the back of the net a career-high 44 times with the Winnipeg Jets during the 2017-18 season and established himself as one of the league's most dangerous finishers before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2021. However, that version of Laine has become increasingly difficult to count on due to his inability to remain in the lineup. If he finds chemistry with the right linemates, he could become a dangerous power-play weapon. If everything breaks perfectly, he could end up being one of the steals of free agency. That's a lot of "ifs" for a team trying to win now. Los Angeles doesn't need another gamble. It needs certainty. The Kings have spent years searching for consistent offensive support. With Kopitar now gone, the margin for error is even smaller. Taking a chance on a player who has struggled to stay in the lineup for half a decade feels less like a solution and more like wishful thinking. If the organization wants to make a meaningful addition, it would be better served exploring the trade market for a player with a stronger track record of staying on the ice. Even a name like Dylan Larkin makes more sense than Laine, and Larkin isn't necessarily the perfect answer to Los Angeles' problems either. At least with Larkin, there's a much stronger expectation that he'll be in the lineup every night and contribute in all situations. The Kings certainly need more scoring. What they don't need is another player whose biggest question mark isn't talent, but whether he'll be available to play. Laine can still help an NHL team. There's little doubt about that. The question is whether a team with playoff aspirations should be betting on him. For the Kings, the answer should be a resounding no. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/5307e6ef-151f-4fe7-be89-f45302d453bb.jpeg]
