The Athletic's Chris Johnston recently ranked the top 50 pending unrestricted free agents [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7338917/2026/06/08/nhl-free-agency-rankings-big-board-centers/](UFAs) in the NHL. Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine made the cut, as he was given the No. 34 spot. Laine being named one of the NHL's top pending UFAs comes after he played only five games this season with the Canadiens, where he had one assist. Yet, with this year's free agency class not being the strongest and Laine having a good resume, it is understandable that he is being viewed among the best pending UFAs for this summer. With Laine clearly no longer being a fit in the Canadiens' lineup, he should be hitting the free-agent market on July 1. Given his past success, it is likely that he should generate a decent amount of interest this summer. Teams looking for scoring and skill could consider taking a flier on Laine with a one-year, prove-it deal. If he stayed healthy and bounced back, he would have the potential to be a nice addition to another team's middle six and power play if signed. His 2024-25 season with the Canadiens shows this, as he had 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games. It is going to be interesting to see where Laine ends up signing this summer, but his time in Montreal should be over.
