Patrik Laine is getting closer to a return, and with the trade deadline creeping up, his name is starting to surface in league-wide chatter - again. The Finnish winger, once seen as a franchise cornerstone, has battled injuries and inconsistency in recent seasons.
When he’s been on the ice, he’s mostly made his mark on the power play, but staying healthy has been the real challenge. Now, with Montreal flush with wingers they trust and Laine’s role looking more and more like a luxury rather than a necessity, the Canadiens appear open to moving him.
And that’s where things start to get interesting.
Laine’s $8.7 million cap hit is no small hurdle. That number alone takes a lot of teams out of the running - especially those already tight against the ceiling.
But one team that has both the financial flexibility and a compelling reason to explore this? The Pittsburgh Penguins.
Yes, those Penguins - led by Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Erik Karlsson. A veteran-heavy group that’s unexpectedly sitting in playoff position and might just have one more run left in the tank. For a team in that spot, a rental like Laine - no long-term commitment, just a shot of offensive juice - could be a savvy move.
Let’s be clear: this wouldn’t be a blockbuster. Montreal knows they’re not getting a haul here.
The return might be modest - we’re talking a fourth- or even fifth-round pick in 2027. But the real prize for the Canadiens would be the cap relief.
Moving Laine’s full salary off the books opens up flexibility to chase a bigger piece ahead of the deadline - potentially a second-line center, which remains a glaring need.
Names like Robert Thomas, Nazem Kadri, or Vincent Trocheck could be on their radar, and dumping Laine’s contract is a necessary first step in making a serious play for someone in that mold.
For Pittsburgh, the upside is obvious. Laine, when healthy and engaged, is still one of the purest shooters in the game.
He could slide into the top nine and give the Penguins some much-needed scoring depth. More tantalizing, though, is the idea of him setting up shop on the top power-play unit with Crosby, Malkin, and Karlsson - three elite playmakers who could feed him the puck in prime scoring areas.
That’s a dangerous combination.
There’s also a longer-term benefit here. Adding Laine gives the Penguins a bit more insulation as they manage the workload of 18-year-old rookie Ben Kindel, who’s been impressive but is still adjusting to the grind of a full NHL season. Laine’s presence could allow the team to give Kindel a breather when needed, without sacrificing too much firepower.
This is the kind of move that fits perfectly with where the Penguins are right now. Kyle Dubas isn’t looking to mortgage the future - he’s building for the long haul.
But when you’re unexpectedly in the playoff mix, you owe it to the locker room to explore ways to improve without compromising the big picture. A low-risk, high-reward flyer on Laine checks that box.
If it works? Great - you’ve added a dynamic scorer for next to nothing.
If it doesn’t? No harm done.
Laine hits free agency, and the Penguins move on with their long-term plan intact.
It’s the kind of smart, calculated gamble that can quietly swing a playoff race - and maybe even extend the window just a little longer for one of the NHL’s most accomplished cores.