While most of the hockey world is focused on Milan as men's hockey is close to kicking off in the Olympics, most front offices around the NHL are working to formulate a plan once the roster freeze is lifted in a few weeks. For the Montreal Canadiens, the first order of business is figuring out what they should do with Patrik Laine.
It is not necessarily what they have to do, that is pretty clear as they will have to trade Laine, but how they get there is open for debate. Laine is currently in the final year of his contract but has an AAV of $8.7 million, which is a lot for a team to take for a player who has only played five games this season.
In Nick Kyperos' latest trade board on Sportsnet, he wrote that the Canadiens could retain some of Laine's salary, as much as 50%, to get a deal done: "The Canadiens are prepared to retain a good chunk (even up to 50 per cent) of his deal, considering they haven't used any retention slots and because Laine's contract expires at the end of the season anyway."
Montreal Canadiens need to trade Patrik Laine to unlock better options at the trade deadline
While the Canadiens would love to get a decent return for Laine, the focus for the front office needs to be to trade him, regardless of what they get back. The reason is that for the Canadiens to make a big trade, like for Nazem Kadri or Jordan Kyrou, they need the cap space and the spot on the roster.
The fact that Laine is in the final year of his contract should create more interest around the league. Last season, he did have 20 goals in only 52 games, so for teams looking for goal-scoring, this is a low-risk deal, especially if the Canadiens retain some salary.
For the Montreal Canadiens, the priority is clear: have a Laine trade locked and loaded before February 22, when the roster freeze is lifted. By moving Laine’s contract immediately after the Olympic break, Kent Hughes gains the financial flexibility to be a buyer, rather than a spectator, at the March 6 deadline.
With Montreal currently holding a playoff spot in the Atlantic, moving Laine isn't just about clearing cap space; it’s the essential first domino that needs to fall to land the top-line scoring threat this roster needs for a playoff run.