How Will the Montreal Canadiens Handle Patrik Laine Moving Forward
Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff was on TSN Radio in Montreal and was asked about Patrik Laine and his role with the Montreal Canadiens moving forward.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “What about Patrik Laine? Is he someone that could potentially get a look? I know this is a conversation that we’ve had ad nauseam here, but it seems to me like it’s either he gets moved out, or he gets an opportunity to showcase himself here in the final few games before the deadline.”
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Anthony Di Marco: “For me, it’s, it’s no, it’s just very redundant, especially on that top line. It’s like, he’s basically like, like, what is the saying now, a Teemu Version of Cole Caulfield. I don’t think there’s enough puck out there right now for a Patrik Laine and Cole Caulfield to be on the same line or, let alone the same team, at times.
And I just feel like they need someone on that line to really go get the puck. Kind of be like a Zach Hyman type, like to go get that puck, feed it to a Nick Suzuki, find the trigger man in Cole Caulfield on the ice. So no, I really don’t think Patrik Laine is the type of guy that he would be looking for.”
NHLRumors.com Note: The Montreal Canadiens, as we have documented, are looking for a solution on the top line right wing position. Laine was valuable to the Canadiens last year, as he was a big reason they made the playoffs. With Laine’s goal-scoring streak in December of 2024, the Canadiens don’t go on that winning streak and are in a position late in the season to have a chance of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, Laine is more of a power-play guy now, and Caufield has taken over that role as the team’s number-one scoring threat. While Laine is still a threat to score, the Canadiens’ acquisition of him was a low-risk, high-reward move.
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At this point, Laine might be more valuable to another team. He doesn’t fit what the Canadiens need on the top line and can’t fit on line two, so where would he slot in? Right now, he is the odd man out and most likely on the move once the NHL season resumes.
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