Patrik Laine with the Red Wings: Pierre LeBrun Discusses the Idea

Félix Forget
Patrik Laine with the Red Wings: Pierre LeBrun Discusses the Idea
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

Patrik Laine still has no contract in sight for the 2026-27 season. Reminder: the season starts in… 10 days.

This means that, now more than ever, we should expect Laine not to be ready for the start of the season. Even if he were to sign with a team today, it's safe to assume he'd need time to adjust.

That said, it's reasonable to think he still has a real chance of signing a contract. A team that sees one of its top scorers get injured during training camp or early in the season, for example, might decide to give him a call.

And Pierre LeBrun, via his X account, has thrown a new team's name into the mix: he's wondering if Laine might be a good fit with the Red Wings.

And we know that usually, when a source “wonders” about something, it doesn't come out of nowhere, you know.

Since the start of training camp, the Red Wings have seemed to be struggling to score goals. That's been a major point of focus at camp… and we know that Laine, despite his shortcomings, is capable of putting the puck in the net.

Is he the ideal solution? No… but at this stage of the offseason, the Red Wings (just like every other team, for that matter) no longer have the luxury of being patient to find a better option.

It's likely that Laine will have to sign a professional tryout (PTO) if a team is willing to give him a chance. It's been a long time since he last played, and he's probably rusty, but if a team believes in his shot, he could land a job.

Keep in mind that since Laine missed so many games last year, he's eligible to sign a contract that includes performance bonuses. That could encourage a team to take a chance on him, especially since the risk would be lower.


In a Nutshell

– That's right.

– Hehe.

– Interesting.

– Phew.

– Today's waivers pick.

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