Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine’s $8.7 million cap hit less daunting ahead of NHL trade deadline

With a few days to the trade deadline in the NHL, set to be on March 6, the Montreal Canadiens face several unanswered roster questions, and Patrik Laine is among the most talked about topics in recent NHL trade rumors. The veteran winger has not been able to play most of the season due to undergoing core muscle surgery and, therefore, has not been that influential in the match outcomes in the NHL. His uncertain status continues to shape front office discussions leaguewide.


On the face of it, Laine has a huge cap hit of 8.7 million that can serve as a significant obstacle to any player who is venturing into a deal. League executives are not so worried about the situation, however, as the raw number would suggest. The financial problem can not be as limiting as taken into account in the current NHL updates since the contract has expired after this season, and Montreal retains its options in the form of salary retention.

Montreal Canadiens’ Patrik Laine trade outlook before March 6 deadline

Patrik Laine has not been playing a game in the NHL with Montreal since October, but the fact that he resumed practicing during the Olympic break was a significant boost. From an NHL injury updates viewpoint, the teams will be keen on whether he can record game action before the deadline. Even a short-term recovery would alleviate the anxiety around conditioning and endurance.

Laine is one of the more dangerous pure shooters in the league when he is healthy. His prowess on the power play and creating on the rush is a quality that makes him appealing to playoff-bound teams that are seeking finishing talent. Since he has one more year left of his deal, the process of acquiring clubs would be only of short term financial risk.

The second significant consideration is the vacant salary retention positions in Montreal. The Canadiens can keep a serviceable amount of the cap hit of Laine, reducing the load of a competitor at the cap floor. Such flexibility expands the market and gives Montreal a stronger bargaining power.

The result is that the seriousness of trade talks will depend on the health of Laine. In case he comes back and makes a positive contribution towards future NHL match outcomes, curiosity might develop rapidly before March 6.

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