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Patrik Laine will leave the Canadiens this summer.
He'll be a free agent as of July 1, and he'll have to make a decision about his future at that time.
He's likely to have several options, according to recent comments by Pierre LeBrun.
The journalist noted (in The Athletic) that there will be plenty of interest in the tall Finnish player this summer due to his contract situation.
Remember that a player under 35 is eligible for performance bonuses if he has played 400 or more games in the NHL and spent 100 days on the injured list the previous season… and that applies to Laine in this case.
Signing him will pose little risk to the team that wants him, which also explains why several clubs are likely to be in the running for his services. After all, we know just how valuable he can be on the power play…
NEW for @TheAthletic: final thoughts on the Cup Final, John Carlson is headed to the market, plus updates on Morgan Rielly, Nico Hischier, Blake Coleman, Patrik Laine, and more in the latest Rumblings
https://t.co/cArwrg5cPb
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 16, 2026
Good for Laine.
He'll have another chance to prove himself, and it'll be up to him to make the most of it. Remember, he played just five games with the Canadiens last season and hasn't seen any action—even though he's been healthy—since late January.
He's probably going to be pretty rusty… but the important thing is that he'll have another chance to play in the National Hockey League. And it could very well be his last, too…
I'm looking forward to seeing which teams will be interested in him this summer.
Will he continue his career with a Stanley Cup contender? Or might he instead sign for a bit more money with a team that might not be very competitive next season?
That remains to be seen.
But he'll really have to make the most of this opportunity to prove himself. Because if not…
In a nutshell
– To be continued.
Chayka on the #Leafs coaching search: “We're in the final phases … we're getting down to decision time, so it should be in the next few days.”
— Terry Koshan
(@koshtorontosun) June 16, 2026
– Interesting.
RE: John Carlson—I'm hearing that winning is more of a priority for him, though his salary demands will naturally be substantial.
I wrote about it a few days ago, but a serious alternative for Tampa Bay to replace a potentially departing Darren Raddysh makes too much sense.
— Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) June 16, 2026
– Oh, really?
Another French-Canadian head coach in the KHL? Reports suggest that Dominique Ducharme is in the running for the role with Dynamo Minsk. He would join Guy Boucher, following in the footsteps of Benoit Groulx, Gerard Gallant, and Bob Hartley, who also gave it a try.
— Andrew Zadarnowski (@AZadarski) June 16, 2026
