- Patrik Laine has no interest in signing in Europe, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports
- The 28-year-old winger remains unsigned and hasn’t played since the fifth game of last season
- Read below for why a one-year incentive deal is on the table
Patrik Laine isn’t looking to leave North America, even with no NHL offer in sight.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that Laine has “zero intention” of signing in Europe, and that the longer this drags on, the more motivated he says he is to prove people wrong. Here’s her post:
That’s a firm stance for a 28-year-old winger who is more than a month into the season without a team. He hasn’t played at all since getting hurt in the fifth game of last year.
Laine is a former second overall pick who hit 30 goals in all three seasons of his entry-level deal in Winnipeg. He later landed in Columbus in the Pierre-Luc Dubois swap, then in Montreal in 2024. Injuries chewed up most of that stretch, though he did score 20 goals in 52 games for the Canadiens in 2024-25.
The market hasn’t been silent. As we noted earlier this month, Pierre LeBrun said the Flames and Red Wings both discussed him, but nobody has pulled the trigger.
The contract setup is friendly to a team willing to gamble. Because Laine missed so much time last season, he qualifies for a one-year deal loaded with performance bonuses, a structure normally reserved for players 35 and older. Only the base salary would be guaranteed.
The question is how long he can wait. Laine’s shot is still the selling point, but there are questions about his skating and where he fits in a lineup. Every week he sits out makes those questions louder.
Laine is betting an NHL job opens up before he has to consider anything else.
