Next destination: Patrik Laine is said to be picky

Félix Forget
Next destination: Patrik Laine is said to be picky
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

Patrik Laine still doesn't have a contract lined up for the upcoming season. And with a week to go before the season opener, it's safe to assume his season won't start in September like everyone else's.

Even if he were to sign tonight, he probably wouldn't be ready to play in a week, you know…

And of course, we're wondering a bit what's holding things up. Laine may have some weaknesses in his game, but it's still strange to see that he hasn't even gotten a single tryout anywhere in the league.

Except that according to Elliotte Friedman, who discussed all this on the FAN Hockey Show, there might be a reason: Laine “prefers certain types of situations.”

And even though Friedman is hesitant to call Laine “difficult,” it's understandable that he might be (at least a little) picky right now.

One might wonder if all of this has to do with Laine looking for a certain type of team (playoff contender or not), a certain type of market (somewhere sunny, for example), or if he's looking for a guaranteed contract rather than a tryout. All of that's possible, you know.

That said, Laine played only five games last year and hasn't played a single game in nearly a year. As much as he might prefer certain types of situations, one has to wonder if that's a luxury he can afford if he wants to continue his career.

Perhaps the Finn is willing to accept that he won't play much (or even at all) this season if he can't find a situation to his liking. If that's the case, he can indeed afford to take his time.

But if he intends to continue competing in the Bettman league, getting back on the ice to try to rebuild his value and stay in the spotlight wouldn't be a bad idea.


In a Nutshell

– Interesting.

– Oh, really?

– Enjoy the show.

– Alexander Nikishin: A Possible Return to the KHL?

– Nice!

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