The Hockey News' main site recently released its NHL Trade Deadline board [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-trade-deadline-board-25-players-to-keep-an-eye-on] with the 2026 deadline less than one week away. In it, THN ranked the top 25 trade candidates in the league. While Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine did not make THN's top 25 list of trade candidates, he was included in their "Others to keep an eye on" section at the conclusion of the article. Laine being named a trade candidate to watch is not surprising. It is no secret that the Canadiens would like to trade him so they can gain more cap space to make other moves. Furthermore, the 2016 second-overall pick is just no longer a fit on the Canadiens, as they have their top six locked. However, finding a trading partner for Laine is where things could get complicated for the Canadiens. There is no question that Laine is a skilled winger when playing at his best, but his injury trouble this season and his $8.7 million cap hit are two big obstacles in potential trade talks. Yet, even with this being the case, the possibility of Laine being moved should not be ruled out. He has a strong resume and had a solid first season with the Canadiens in 2024-25, posting 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games. It will be interesting to see if the Habs can end up moving Laine before the deadline from here.
