The Senators kicked around the idea of going after Patrik Laine this summer, but that conversation appears to have cooled off fast.
According to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa was among the teams that considered Laine, though the belief now is that the 28-year-old does not fit the roster well enough for the organization to keep pushing. Laine, who has flashed big-time scoring ability at points in his career, has also battled availability issues, and last season he was limited to just five games with Montreal.
There is still no deal in place for Laine, even though he is eligible for performance incentives on a one-year contract. Garrioch reported that Toronto, Tampa Bay, Florida, and Dallas were also thought to have shown interest at various points, and while nothing has come together yet, he is expected to find a landing spot before long.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers are taking a different approach to camp. Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the current expectation is that the club will not bring in any tryout players, choosing instead to sort through its own internal battles for roster spots.
That means prospects such as Oliver Bonk and Alex Bump will get a real chance to make their case. With only a four-game preseason schedule, the Flyers are leaning toward giving those younger players extended looks rather than adding outside tryouts.
Meanwhile, Flames prospect Bode Laylin has made a college change. He announced on Instagram that he will play at the University of Minnesota when he begins his NCAA career next season.
Laylin, a Calgary sixth-round pick in June, had originally committed to the University of St. Thomas. His father previously coached the Tommies, but was hired by the Golden Gophers this summer, and that shift helped steer Laylin to Minnesota.
The blueliner spent last season with USHL Tri-City, where he put up 38 points in 55 games, and he will move on to WHL Everett this season before heading to college.
In Other News...
MacKenzie Weegar Just Said What Calgary Fans Have Been Thinking
MacKenzie Weegar touched on a topic that tends to linger around Canadian markets, and it is one Flames fans know well: the way some players talk about playing north of the border. In a recent appearance on OverDrive, the Calgary defenseman said he was disappointed to see players asking out of Canadian teams, a sentiment that fits the frustration many local fans have heard for years whenever trade chatter starts circling.
For Calgary, the remark lands because it speaks to something bigger than one roster rumor or one citys perception. Weegar framed it as a matter of perspective, the idea that suiting up in the NHL should be the honor no matter where the jersey is from, and that leaves the larger conversation about player movement and market preferences hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Huberdeaus Recovery Now Puts One Big Flames Question In Focus
Jonathan Huberdeaus recovery from hip resurfacing surgery has settled into a clearer picture after a brief scare around his progress, with Flames general manager Craig Conroy explaining that there was no setback at all. Huberdeau has been skating consistently, and the timeline remains in the seven- to nine-month range, which keeps the focus on his return rather than any fresh concern about the procedure.
Even so, the next checkpoint is already coming into view, and it will be a small but meaningful one for Calgary. Huberdeau is likely to miss the first day of training camp, which only sharpens the bigger question hanging over the Flames as they look ahead to a bounce-back season from a player coming off a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Fans May Finally Have To Consider The Unthinkable With Huberdeau
Jonathan Huberdeaus time in Calgary has been defined by a decline that few around the Flames could have imagined when he arrived, and it has now pushed the conversation into uncomfortable territory. What once looked like a franchise-altering addition has turned into a long-running debate about fit, value and whether the organization can keep waiting for a rebound that never seems to arrive.
The latest speculative fix is the sort of idea that would have sounded absurd not long ago: a deal with Edmonton built around Calgary eating a big chunk of the contract just to make the math work. It would be a jarring move on several levels, especially with the provincial rivalry attached, and it would also force the Flames to decide whether relief from the cap burden matters more than hanging on to a player whose trajectory has become increasingly hard to defend. [Read more 🡒]