Patrik Laine’s next stop could keep him right in the neighborhood.
According to NHL insider Pierre McGuire, the two teams at the front of the line for the free-agent winger may be the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs - a pair of division rivals that would keep Laine from going far after his stint in Montreal.
McGuire made the point on Toronto Sports Rush when asked about Laine and a possible fit in Toronto. He was clear that the Maple Leafs make sense, while also pointing to Florida as another strong possibility.
"Patrik Laine would fit really well [in Toronto]. I thought Montreal would probably look at not signing him, which they clearly have not. And I thought that potentially the Florida Panthers, especially with Brad Marchand's injury, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, because of the ability for this guy to score especially in the power play, would be a really good hookup," McGuire said.
"If you were to ask me the leading candidates, I'd say probably the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs."
Laine’s time with the Canadiens never really got rolling the way anyone hoped. Montreal acquired him from Columbus ahead of the 2024-25 season, sending defenseman Jordan Harris and a 2026 second-round pick the other way. Over two seasons, he appeared in just 57 games.
There were still flashes of the goal-scorer that made him such an intriguing pickup. In his first year with the Canadiens, Laine scored 20 goals in 52 games, and injuries were the main reason he couldn’t build on that.
Last season, he was hurt five games into the year, and by the time he was healthy again, Montreal’s lines had already settled in. There simply wasn’t a clean opening for him.
That’s why his market still has some appeal. Laine can finish, and the power play remains his calling card. Fifteen of his 20 goals two seasons ago came with the man advantage, and across the last four seasons he has 48 goals, with half of them coming on the power play.
As free agency unfolded, Laine looked like the kind of low-risk, high-reward swing teams could make with a bonus-heavy deal because of his injury history. That remains on the table, but McGuire suggested a professional tryout could make sense too, particularly if Laine lands with a team such as Florida.
Wherever he ends up, the odds seem to be rising that Montreal will be seeing him often - just in a different sweater.
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Montembeault is also in the final year of his contract, which adds to the intrigue around his future. After a rough statistical season, he still profiles as the type of goalie a team in Columbus's position could examine if it wants stability or insurance, and Montreal would have to at least consider whether this is the right moment to explore value. No trade has been confirmed, but the fit is obvious enough that this is now one of those situations worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]