Toronto Maple Leafs among clubs reportedly interested in Patrik Laine

By Liam Tremblay — 4 September 2026 — 3 min read

Patrik Laine, a Finnish forward who spent the last two seasons with the Montréal Canadiens, is reportedly drawing interest from several National Hockey League (NHL) teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs. Laine, who was not extended by the Canadiens, is exploring options to continue his professional career in North America.

According to NHL Insider Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen, the Maple Leafs are among the clubs showing interest in Laine. Other teams reportedly considering Laine include the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Garrioch also questioned why the Ottawa Senators have not shown more interest in the player, given his goal-scoring abilities.

Laine, who is 28 years old, faced challenges with injuries during his time with the Canadiens, which limited his playing time. Over his two seasons with the team, he played in 57 games, recording 20 goals and 14 assists. In the 2024-25 season, he scored 20 goals and accumulated 33 points across 52 games for Montréal. However, in the 2025-26 season, he played only 5 games, registering 1 assist and a -3 rating.

Potential Landing Spots and Contract Considerations

The reported interest from multiple teams provides Laine with several potential destinations as training camps approach. For the Maple Leafs, acquiring Laine would likely require them to manage their salary cap, as they reportedly have a negative cap space of -$2,752,382, according to Puck Media. If the Maple Leafs were to sign Laine, he could offer another pure shooting option for the team.

The Dallas Stars represent a different scenario, where Laine would not be expected to carry the team’s offense, potentially allowing him to focus on a specific scoring role. The Tampa Bay Lightning, another contender, could utilize Laine’s shot as a power-play weapon without requiring him to lead a top-six line. The Florida Panthers’ interest adds another Atlantic Division team to the mix, which could give Laine more leverage in contract negotiations.

Laine’s previous contract carried an $8,700,000 cap hit and expired after the 2025-26 season. The current situation allows interested teams to negotiate from a stronger position compared to when he was playing under his previous deal. No front-runner has been identified among the interested clubs, and there is no reported agreement with any team yet.

Career Overview

Laine was selected second overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2016 NHL Draft, one pick after Auston Matthews. Throughout his NHL career, he has also played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Montréal Canadiens. In 537 regular-season games, Laine has accumulated 224 goals and 198 assists, totaling 422 points.

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Laine has recorded eight goals and nine assists in 26 games. Despite his scoring ability, injuries and other setbacks have impacted his recent seasons. The Canadiens re-signed Jakub Dobes and Ivan Demidov earlier this summer, following their advancement to the Eastern Conference Final.

The interest from these four teams suggests that Laine is not simply waiting for one club to take a chance, and a fit could materialize quickly before training camp begins.

Source: sports.yahoo.com