The writing is on the wall in Montreal, and the ink is drying fast. With the NHL trade deadline looming on March 6, the Montreal Canadiens are seemingly ready to cut ties with one of the most enigmatic goal scorers in the league.
According to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, Canadiens EVP Jeff Gorton is “exploring all options,” and the most intriguing option involves sending Patrik Laine to the Carolina Hurricanes. Laine, who has missed the last 14 weeks recovering from abdominal surgery, is set to return after the Olympic break. But here is the kicker: the Canadiens’ offense has actually improved in his absence. This statistical reality has seemingly made Laine’s $8.7 million cap hit expendable. If Montreal retains 50% of that salary, they aren’t just moving a player; they are opening a championship window for a rival.
The Finnish Connection: Why the Carolina Hurricanes Are the Perfect Landing Spot
As an analyst who has watched Laine’s career roller coaster from Winnipeg to Columbus and now Montreal, this potential move to Raleigh screams “perfect fit.” This isn’t just about the Hurricanes having the requisite cap space—though GM Eric Tulsky is a wizard at managing that—it is about the human element of the game.
The Carolina Hurricanes currently boast two of Laine’s closest friends in hockey: Sebastian Aho and Nikolaj Ehlers. In a league where mental comfort often dictates on-ice production, reuniting Laine with Aho (his international linemate) and Ehlers (his former Winnipeg running mate) is the kind of psychological masterstroke that wins Stanley Cups.
From the Canadiens’ perspective, this is asset management 101. Engels reports that the Habs are willing to retain salary to clear the books, but they refuse to pay an asset to move him. This is the correct stance. When healthy, Laine is a 40-goal threat. Even as a distressed asset, you don’t pay someone to take that talent; you find a partner who believes they can unlock it.
For Carolina, a half-price Laine (approx. $4.35M AAV) is a low-risk, high-reward gamble. Their system is structured and defensive, which covers Laine’s deficiencies, allowing him to focus solely on what he does best: firing one-timers from the left circle. If Tulsky can pull this off without giving up a Grade-A prospect, relying instead on the “reclamation project” narrative, the Hurricanes immediately become the scariest team in the East.
The Canadiens are pivoting. They have realized their young core can score without the veteran sniper. Now, it’s about maximizing the return on a player who simply hasn’t been able to stay on the ice.
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