The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the teams tied to Patrik Laine, and the fit is easy to see if the price stays low enough.
Montreal Gazette reporter Herb Zurkowsky reported that since free agency opened on July 1, Laine has also been linked to the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, and, more recently, the Philadelphia Flyers. As he put it:
“Since free agency began on July 1, Laine has been linked to the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and, more recently, the Philadelphia Flyers. Most of those teams would make sense as destinations for various reasons. Mostly, if a club is seeking offence, the 6-foot-4, 208-pound Laine can deliver.”
A Toronto move would also bring a familiar name back into the picture for Laine and Auston Matthews, who went first and second overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Laine is still a former 40-goal scorer, but the 2025-26 season never got off the ground for him. He played only five games for the Montreal Canadiens and had one assist after core-muscle surgery. If he’s willing to accept a short-term deal with incentives and a small base salary, that’s the kind of arrangement that could work for both sides.
In Detroit, the conversation is less about adding a player and more about trying to keep one. The longer the Red Wings go without resolving Dylan Larkin’s trade request, the more pressure builds on the organization to figure out what comes next.
Detroit Free Press columnist Helene St. James raised the possibility that the club could try to mend the relationship instead of moving its captain. Her idea was that CEO Christopher Ilitch could reach out to Larkin and see whether the veteran center might change his mind.
That path has obvious appeal. Larkin is a hometown player, Detroit drafted him, and he eventually became captain.
But whether the damage can actually be undone is another matter. Larkin’s reported wish to leave sounds like something that took time to develop, and even the team’s decision to remove Steve Yzerman as general manager may not be enough to pull him back.
Out in Anaheim, the Ducks have already solved one contract issue by matching the offer sheet for Leo Carlsson. Now comes the next one: getting restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier signed.
Verbeek has made clear that Gauthier remains a priority, but the Ducks are working with just a little more than $9 million in projected cap space. If Gauthier is aiming as high as $15 million, Anaheim may have to clear room elsewhere.
Two short-term options have been floated. One would be placing Troy Terry on long-term injured reserve. The other would be moving Alex Killorn or Frank Vatrano.
Edmonton, meanwhile, is taking a different road. The Oilers are choosing not to use every dollar available right now, and general manager Stan Bowman said the club wants to keep that flexibility for a bigger move later.
After years of living with very little financial wiggle room, Edmonton is in a much stronger position. The team can now wait for opportunities as other clubs try to shed money or make players available during the season, whether that happens early or closer to the trade deadline.
Bowman said the Oilers plan to use that cap space eventually.
In Other News...
Red Wings May Have Made Alex DeBrincat Untouchable
A trade idea tying Alex DeBrincat to Edmonton has sparked plenty of conversation because it speaks directly to how Detroit views one of its most productive forwards. The proposal would send DeBrincat to the Oilers for Quinn Hutson, Kasperi Kapanen and a protected first-round pick, but the reaction around the Red Wings has made one thing pretty clear: this is not the kind of return that feels close to enough for a player many fans seem to see as part of the clubs core.
For Edmonton, the challenge may be less about interest than about price. If Detroits internal valuation of DeBrincat is anywhere near the sentiment coming from its fan base, the Red Wings would likely need a much stronger package to even consider moving him. That creates a familiar trade-board problem for the Oilers and any other suitor, because the gap between what a team is willing to offer and what Detroit believes DeBrincat is worth could be the difference between a serious negotiation and a nonstarter. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Front Office Search Hints At A Bigger Reset
A front-office search can say as much about a franchises direction as any roster move, and the Red Wings latest step suggests this one is not being handled casually. Detroit has brought in outside help to guide its next executive search, a sign the organization is treating the hiring process as a chance to sharpen the structure around the team rather than simply fill a vacancy.
The move fits a broader moment for the Red Wings, who remain in the middle of trying to build something more sustainable while keeping pace in a tough division. Around the league, cap pressure and contract negotiations are forcing teams to make careful long-term calls, and Detroit appears to be approaching its own off-ice decisions with that same kind of urgency. The next hire will not just matter for the front office chart - it could shape how the franchise resets the way it evaluates talent, priorities, and the next phase of its rebuild. [Read more 🡒]
Moritz Seider Just Strengthened His Case As Detroits Next Franchise Leader
Moritz Seider added another major line to his resume this week, earning The Hockey News Rod Langway Award as the NHLs best defensive defenseman for the 2025-26 season. It is another reminder of how central he has become to the Red Wings, with Seider logging all 82 games, skating more than 25 minutes a night and taking on top competition all season long.
For Detroit, the honor only sharpens the conversation around where Seiders rise leads next. He is already being viewed as the kind of player who can anchor a blue line for years, and the bigger picture now includes a possible Norris Trophy down the road and, eventually, the possibility that he wears the captains C for the Red Wings. [Read more 🡒]