Current Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine missed most of the 2025-26 NHL season because of injury, and he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent once the calendar flips to July.
Multiple teams could emerge as frontrunners to land Laine, who was originally selected one spot behind Auston Matthews by the Winnipeg Jets with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. According to NHL Insiders Frank Seravalli and John Buccigross, the current Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes could potentially show interest along with the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, Utah Mammoth, and Florida Panthers.
“The Carolina Hurricanes,” Seravalli said via Frankly Hockey on Victory+ on YouTube. “They’ve taken a chance before on players that were drafted high and showed some promise… They have some (Finnish players), maybe they could find some magic with the success that Laine has had on the world stage with them…
“Try it for one year and give it a whirl, and he might want the challenge of playing for Rod Brind’Amour–working hard, skating, and being in proper shape… I think Carolina is the team to watch, because they’re always looking to get better and add more goals, and shot volume is the name of their game.”
Laine, who has played for the Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Canadiens, has scored 224 goals with 198 assists in 537 career regular season NHL games. He’s also added eight goals with nine assists in 26 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.
This past season, he was limited to a single assist in five games played, and he’s not suited up since October 16 against the Nashville Predators.
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