The NHL Draft is over, free agency is right around the corner, and the Toronto Maple Leafs should make a play for Patrik Laine when it opens.
With free agency opening on July 1, the Toronto Maple Leafs can continue to alter the roster and build a team ready to compete for the playoffs once again, in the hope that more new faces could complement the work GM John Chayka has already done.
Landing Gavin McKenna first overall gives the Leafs a dynamic playmaking winger, but there are still holes on offence that need to be addressed, and one impending UFA could be the perfect addition to the lineup, for the right price.
Laine’s career
Patrik Laine is no stranger to Toronto Maple Leafs fans, as he was the second overall pick in the 2016 Draft, going immediately after the Leafs selected Auston Matthews.
There was plenty of debate over which player would be the best at the NHL level, and it’s safe to say that Matthews has clinched that comfortably.
Laine’s career did start in impressive fashion with the Winnipeg Jets, scoring 110 goals across his first three seasons and leading the team to an impressive playoff run in the 2017–18 season, where he had five goals and 12 points in 17 games.
The Finn’s time in Winnipeg didn’t last much longer, as he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the start of the 2020–21 season. He could not replicate the same points production or goalscoring prowess as he did north of the border, and he ended up back in Canada after just four seasons.
Laine had decent numbers in his debut season with the Montreal Canadiens, scoring 20 goals in 52 games, but he missed almost the entire 2025–26 season with an injury, though his end-of-season comments suggest he may have been ready to return sooner than previously believed.
Now an unrestricted free agent, it’s likely that Laine will be looking for a new home very soon.
Why Laine fits the Leafs
Firstly, the Leafs were heavily outscored last season. While the primary problem came on the defensive and goaltending side of the ice, having a player who is more of a natural goal scorer could be valuable to a team looking to contend in a stacked Eastern Conference next season.
Laine has 238 career goals in 537 regular season games, and he could continue to score 30+ a season if given the right linemates and the right situation to thrive.
There wouldn’t be many better situations for Laine to land in outside of Toronto, with the Leafs having a clear need for right-handed forwards.
Laine could easily slot into the second-line right winger position, playing behind William Nylander on the top line, where his partners could be, at worst, John Tavares and potentially even Gavin McKenna to start the year.
McKenna’s playmaking and Tavares’ seemingly ageless offensive skills could go hand in hand with Laine’s desire to get pucks on net, and see the Tampere native regain his offensive touch.
He would also find a home on the power play and provide the Leafs with another weapon, changing the roster to look significantly different from the one under Craig Berube.
A top six to begin the year could look like this:
| Matthew Knies | Auston Matthews | William Nylander |
| Gavin McKenna | John Tavares | Patrik Laine |
Is he worth the cost?
The biggest question over Laine is what kind of contract he would expect at this stage of his career.
He’s coming off a year where he was injured and only played five games, and his best production is a few years gone, so could he realistically look for a deal close to the four years, $8.7 million AAV he’s coming off this summer?
If he were willing to take a short-term, one- or two-year deal with more ‘prove it’ money, it could be easily palatable to the Leafs, who could use an upgrade on the right side of the ice.
Laine is still only 28 years old, so he could still have a long and successful career ahead of him, and if he plays it smart, a move to a team like the Leafs could get the best out of him once again and see him land another lucrative deal when he turns 30.
If Laine is seeking $8.7 million or more, the Leafs should look at other options before circling back. The team’s needs on the right are serious, and there may not be anyone available in free agency with the potential to match Laine’s skill set.
If a trade for an upgrade doesn’t present itself, then accepting an overpay on Laine may be the best move, especially as the cap continues to increase year-on-year and Chayka still has over $22 million to play with.
Laine’s potential upside and fit in the Leafs’ lineup make him worth a gamble, despite his injury history, and if Chayka could bring him to Scotiabank Arena this summer, it could be just another positive move that puts the team right back in playoff contention.
The most goals Laine has got since the Jets, in the past 6 years, is 26. He hasn’t played more than 56 games in any of those years either! He’s not even a career point a game, about 0.8. That’s fine but not great. Would it not be like revising the soft and same skilled core 4 forwards with him? The hope I have for the future is Knies, Cowan and McKenna, none of who seem soft or same skilled. This is what’s needed on a team, not the foolishness of the past 10 years. What’s really needed in the top 6 is a player tougher than any of the current top 6 and who will fight. What isn’t wanted is a 4th line token fighter who shouldn’t really be in the lineup. I.E Simmons, Reaves, Pezzetta.