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Patrik Laine's specialty is scoring goals.
He is known as a guy who isn't extremely dangerous five-on-five… but he is also known as a guy who doesn't need much space to shoot and beat a goalie.
It's no coincidence that he has scored a total of 224 goals in just 537 games in the National Hockey League. The guy loves to find the back of the net.
But it's been a (really) long time since that happened.
In fact, his last goal dates back to April 6, 2025: that means he hasn't scored in an official National League game in 11 months. He scored two goals in Quebec City during preseason games at the start of the season, but that's not the same thing.
Eleven months without a goal is a long time. Remember when we all made fun of Scott Gomez and Jonathan Drouin because they hadn't scored in over a year?
It's kind of the same thing with the Finn…
#Habs Patrik Laine shoots top corner for goal vs #Predators
Assists: Hutson, Newhook#GoHabsGo #NHL #Hockey @RocketSports pic.twitter.com/o2px7rdD63
— Chris G (@ChrisHabs360) April 7, 2025
You might say that the player was injured for the entire season (or almost), and that's true.
But… the point remains: for a guy who said he was in “the best shape of his life” at the start of training camp, that's mediocre.
Everyone had their doubts when he said that out loud in front of reporters… and rightly so, when you take a step back and look at the situation.
Since Laine has played more than 400 games in the NHL and spent more than 100 days on the injured list, he will be eligible this summer to sign a slightly different contract.
He could sign for a very small salary… but his contract would come with performance bonuses.
This is what we saw with Sean Monahan when he agreed to a one-year deal with the Canadiens in the summer of 2023, a few months before Kent Hughes sent him to Winnipeg for a first-round pick and another third-round pick.
Because Patrik Laine has spent most of the season on IR, his next contract can be incentive-laden and bonus-structured (low base salary), which one would think would be appealing to his next team. But first he needs a fresh start. Let's see if a team takes him before the deadline for…
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 5, 2026
Could this factor encourage a club to pick him up between now and tomorrow, with the aim of giving him a chance to prove himself ahead of next season?
Perhaps.
At the same time, everyone knows he is capable of both the best and the worst. It has been that way since the beginning of his career, and it won't change overnight…
In brief
– NHL trade.ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Sens have traded for Kings F Warren Foegele in exchange for a second-round pick @DarrenDreger
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) March 5, 2026
– Impressive.
Make that six more marathons completed for Zdeno Chara
Chara competed in the Abbot World Marathon Majors, which includes marathons in Boston, New York City, Chicago, Berlin, London, and Tokyo!
(Source: IG/zeechara33) pic.twitter.com/zw0AQCbk2S
— NHL (@NHL) March 5, 2026
— Attention all interested parties: Your chance to get your hands on one of these jerseys!
https://t.co/ptiGLVJMCS pic.twitter.com/6gq2HweVRv
— Laval Rocket (@RocketLaval) March 5, 2026
— MLB News:
The Dodgers love him. https://t.co/n6MoZVFuPf
— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) March 5, 2026
— Nice story.
Rouge et Or women's basketball coach Guillaume Giroux is a former correctional officer at Ste-Anne-des-Plaines prison. He worked in that profession from 2000 to 2022, coaching various basketball teams throughout that time. @jic_tvasports @TVASports @tvaqc @rougeetor pic.twitter.com/HCk8831sWt
— Stéphane Turcot (@StephTurcotTVA) March 5, 2026
