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Canadiens linked to trading Patrik Laine to Western team.

The Montreal Canadiens are still riding high following their massive Game 7 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. Everyone on the team has been instrumental in helping the club break through this season.

But there’s been one forgotten forward who may still get credit, even if he hasn’t hit the ice since last October.

That forgotten forward is Patrik Laine.

The 28-year-old has played all of five games this season. He last appeared for the Canadiens on October 16 against the Nashville Predators. He hit IR, subsequently having core muscle surgery. Unfortunately for the former second-overall pick, his health status has not allowed him to return to the ice.

It’s been a tough go for Laine after arriving in Montreal last season. In 52 games during the 2024-25 season, the Finnish forward scored 20 goals and 33 points. It was the sort of showing that promised he could be an instrumental part of the Canadiens emergence this season.

Well, that was not the case. Laine last played a full season in 2018-19 with the Winnipeg Jets. His inability to stay healthy has limited him to 75 games over the last three seasons.

That situation, nevertheless, won’t preclude Laine from getting a Stanley Cup ring should the Canadiens go all the way this season. He was on the roster all year. Since he wasn’t demoted to the AHL at any point, he could earn a coveted ring without even playing.

Laine Unlikely to Return to Canadiens Next Season

The road ahead for Laine seems murky. He’ll be a UFA this summer. As such, he’ll need a new contract. Given the way things have worked out in Montreal, it’s a long shot he’ll return.

It’s not that Laine is suddenly a bad player. It’s just that there’s no room for him anywhere in the lineup. He’s not a fourth-line grinder or a bottom-six depth piece. Laine, when healthy, is a solid middle-six scoring winger.

That’s why he’ll need to find a fresh start, again, with a team that could offer a roster spot for him. Where that might be is an entirely different story. Perhaps a rebuilding team could kick the tires on him and potentially offer an opportunity to revive his career.

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Laine Looking at Show-Me Deal

This time around, Laine won’t be getting a multi-year deal from anyone. The four-year, $34.8 million deal he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022 quickly became an albatross for the team.

The Jackets were lucky that the Canadiens, who were still rebuilding at the time, gave up anything at all, while taking on his full cap hit.

Fast forward to 2026, and Laine will be looking at a show-me deal. Such a deal might be a one-year, incentive-laden contract paying bonuses based on the number of games played.

It will be imperative for Laine to show he can stay healthy and re-emerge as a productive player. Another 60 games and 20 goals could do well to revive his career. Otherwise, it may be the end of the line for a once-promising career for this Canadiens forward.