The Montreal Canadiens will be a team to keep an eye on leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. The Habs are currently fourth in the Atlantic Division standings with a 29-17-7 record. With the Canadiens right in the playoff race, it would be understandable if they looked to add to their roster. While the Canadiens are standing out as clear buyers, one of their veteran players is continuing to create chatter as a trade candidate: Patrik Laine. Laine was given the No. 24 spot on Chris Johnston's latest trade board [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7001824/2026/01/28/nhl-trade-board-trocheck-hamilton-wright/] for The Athletic. "Working his way back from core muscle surgery that’s limited him to just five games this season, Laine doesn’t appear to have a future with the Canadiens. They don’t have an obvious spot for him in the lineup and seem inclined to move off his contract in order to clear cap room needed for other moves," Johnston wrote. Seeing Laine being labeled a trade candidate is not surprising. It will be hard for him to earn a spot in the Canadiens' top six, and his style of play does not make him the best of options for their bottom six. Thus, it would be understandable if they tried to move the pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) forward by the deadline. Laine's $8.7 million cap hit could make it hard for the Canadiens to find him a new home, but worse contracts have been traded in the past. It is also fair to wonder if a team could consider taking a chance on the skilled winger if the Canadiens add a sweetener or two as a part of the deal. Nevertheless, it is going to be very interesting to see what happens between Laine and the Canadiens leading up to the deadline.
