Patrik Laine may still be sitting out there on the open market, but the St. Louis Blues weren’t among the eight teams Bleacher Report listed as possible landing spots - and for Blues fans, that omission ought to feel like a win.
The former second overall pick remains the most notable free agent still available with less than a month to go before training camp, and there’s no shortage of teams keeping an eye on him. But St.
Louis should be steering clear. Laine simply isn’t worth the gamble for a team that needs to keep its focus on the future.
The biggest concern starts with availability. Laine is coming off the worst season of his 10-year NHL career, appearing in just five games for the Canadiens last year.
Core muscle surgery played a part, but he was cleared to play before the trade deadline. Montreal chose not to use him and left him off the playoff roster.
That kind of uncertainty is hard to ignore, especially when injuries have already limited him to under 20 games in two of the last three seasons.
Then there’s the production drop. Laine hasn’t topped 50 points since 2022-23 with the Blue Jackets, and since then he’s totaled 26 goals and 17 assists for 43 points in 75 games.
The injury history explains some of that, but it doesn’t cover everything. His burst just isn’t the same, and he no longer profiles as the top-six winger he once was.
The shot, once his calling card, has also lost its edge. NHL Edge has his hardest shot falling from 101.53 mph in 2021-22 to the 87-90 range over the last two seasons.
That’s a major drop, from one of the league’s most dangerous weapons to something much closer to average. Without that kind of finishing power, a rebound season becomes a tougher sell.
And for the Blues, this isn’t the right roster spot to spend on a comeback bet. Bringing in Laine would mean giving him real ice time and a top-six role, which would come at the expense of younger players like Jake Neighbours, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Connor McMichael. That tradeoff would do more harm than good.
So yes, Laine in a Blues sweater might sound intriguing on paper. But the better move is obvious: keep the development path open for the young guys and avoid a high-risk project that may not be able to deliver what St. Louis needs.
In Other News...
Former Blues First Round Pick Leaves Montreal Fans Waiting
Zachary Bolducs first season stretch in Montreal gave the Canadiens enough to think about as they sort out their forward depth heading into the new year. The former Blues first-round pick came out of the gate well after arriving in the organization, and even as his production dipped later on, he still showed enough to keep himself in the discussion as Montreal looks for inexpensive help down the lineup.
Bolduc is still waiting on the next step, with his future tied to the Canadiens effort to bring him back before the season begins. He has made it clear he would like to stay in Montreal for the long haul, but for now the matter sits with his agent and team management, leaving one more contract question hanging over a club that could use another body up front. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Enter Camp With A Good Problem Jim Montgomery Must Solve
A strong prospect pool is giving the Blues something every coach wants heading into camp: real competition for jobs. St. Louis has a cluster of young defensemen and forwards pushing for attention, with Adam Jiricek, Tyler Tucker and Theo Lindstein among the blue-liners trying to separate themselves, while Otto Stenberg, Justin Carbonneau and others will be trying to force their way into the mix up front.
The most intriguing battle may come down the middle, where the second-line center spot has turned into a crowded race. Dalibor Dvorsky, Mason McTavish, Connor McMichael and possibly Pius Suter give Jim Montgomery plenty of options, but also a difficult call as the Blues sort through who is ready to seize a bigger role and who will have to wait for another opening. [Read more 🡒]