Why the Canucks Might Be the Perfect Landing Spot for Patrik Laine - Just Not for the Reasons You Think
Once upon a time, the idea of Patrik Laine donning a Vancouver Canucks jersey would’ve sparked excitement - a former 40-goal scorer with a lethal shot joining forces with a dynamic forward core? That would’ve been headline material.
But fast forward to the 2025-26 season, and the conversation around Laine has shifted dramatically. We're no longer talking about him as a game-changer.
We're talking about him as a cap dump. And that might actually be where his value lies - not on the ice, but on the books.
Let’s get one thing straight: Laine’s production has fallen off a cliff, and that’s putting it gently. He’s played just five games this season and registered a single assist.
That’s it. Among all pending unrestricted free agents, he’s tied for 139th in scoring.
His $8.7 million cap hit is the second-highest among UFAs, trailing only Alexander Ovechkin’s $9.5 million. But unlike Ovechkin, Laine isn’t offering much return on investment - and hasn’t for a while.
Injuries have played a role, sure, but the decline has been steep. Just four years ago, Laine was coming off a 26-goal, 56-point season in only 56 games - solid numbers that earned him the current deal.
Since then? Point totals of 52, 9, 33, and now 1.
That’s not just regression; that’s a full-on collapse.
So why should the Canucks care?
Because Laine’s contract - not the player - could be a valuable asset. This wouldn’t be one of those “buy low, flip high” reclamation projects.
There’s no time for that. The window between the end of the Olympic break and the trade deadline is too short to rebuild Laine’s value, even if he were healthy and producing.
Which he isn’t.
Instead, this would be a classic cap dump. A team - in this case, the Montreal Canadiens - needs to clear space and is willing to pay to do it.
The Canucks, with their projected $6.8 million in deadline cap space, are in a position to help. And if they play it right, they could turn that cap space into draft picks or prospects.
Let’s talk about Montreal for a second. The Habs are in a tight spot.
They’ve got the league’s least available cap space - just $920,000 at the moment, projected to reach around $1.5 million by the deadline. That’s not even enough to activate Alex Newhook from injured reserve without sending someone down.
And yet, they’re holding onto second place in the Atlantic Division and likely looking to add at the deadline. That’s a tough balancing act unless they find a way to shed salary.
Enter Laine.
He’s their second-highest-paid player behind Noah Dobson and isn’t contributing on the ice. Moving him would free up serious room - but only if someone’s willing to take on the full hit. That’s where Vancouver comes in.
The Canucks have the space to absorb Laine’s contract and still leave themselves some flexibility. And if they need more room, they’ve got options.
Injured players like Thatcher Demko or Filip Chytil could be moved to LTIR, opening up even more breathing room. In short, Vancouver is one of the few teams that can afford to take on Laine’s deal without blinking.
And here’s the kicker: Laine might not even take up a roster spot.
He had core muscle surgery back in October and was expected to miss up to four months. Now, four months later, he’s skating again but still not close to a return.
Given the nature of the injury and the time missed, it’s entirely possible he spends just as much time in the press box as he does on the ice for the rest of the season. That means he’s unlikely to block younger players from getting minutes - a key consideration for a team trying to develop talent down the stretch.
Now, sure, there’s always the dream scenario: Laine gets healthy, finds some chemistry with Elias Pettersson, and suddenly looks like the sniper of old. Maybe Vancouver even offers him a one-year “prove-it” deal next summer.
But let’s be honest - that’s a long shot. A very long one.
The real value here is in what Montreal would have to give up to make the deal happen.
The Canadiens still have all their draft picks for the next three years, including their own selections in the first three rounds. They’ve also got a deep pool of prospects, some of whom are starting to get squeezed out of the system.
A third-round pick? That feels like a baseline.
A second-rounder? Not out of the question if there’s a bit of a bidding war.
And that’s the wild card here - how many other teams are willing to weaponize their cap space like Vancouver can? Some teams have the room, but not everyone’s willing to spend the real dollars attached to that cap hit. If the Canucks are one of the few teams actively shopping their cap space, the price goes up.
Even if it doesn’t, there’s no real downside. Taking on Laine’s contract costs Vancouver nothing but cap space they weren’t likely to use anyway.
That space doesn’t roll over. It’s a “use it or lose it” situation.
So why not use it to stockpile future assets?
Bottom line: The Canucks are in a rare position of strength when it comes to the cap. Laine’s contract is a burden for Montreal, but it could be a bargaining chip for Vancouver. This isn’t about what Laine can do on the ice - it’s about what his contract can bring in return.
And if the price is right, the Canucks should be all ears.