The honeymoon phase between Patrik Laine and the Montreal Canadiens is officially over. What was once seen as a low-risk, high-reward gamble is quickly turning into a salary cap nightmare for General Manager Kent Hughes. As the trade deadline approaches, renowned insider Chris Johnston has dropped a truth bomb that every Habs fan feared: moving Laine will not be free.
A contract that no one wants
Let’s look at the cold, hard facts. Laine is currently earning a massive $8.7 million per year, but his production on the ice has been non-existent. After returning from a grueling abdominal surgery, the Finnish forward has struggled to find his rhythm in Martin St-Louis’ system.
The numbers are, quite frankly, alarming:
- 5 games played this season.
- 0 goals and only 1 assist.
- A -3 rating with a mere six shots on goal.
In today’s NHL, paying nearly $9 million for that kind of output is a luxury no team can afford. According to Johnston, the only way a rival GM picks up the phone is if Montreal agrees to retain 50% of his salary—bringing him down to a more digestible $4.35 million—or, even worse, if Hughes «attaches» a draft pick or a young prospect to sweeten the deal.
Winning despite the distraction
The most surprising part of this saga is that the Montreal Canadiens are actually thriving without Laine’s contribution. The team currently sits second in the Atlantic Division with an impressive 32-17-8 record. Led by Nick Suzuki and a resurgent Brendan Gallagher, the Habs are firmly in the playoff hunt, making Laine’s cap hit an even bigger obstacle for Hughes if he wants to add reinforcements for a post-season run.
The priority: Cleaning the books
As the trade deadline nears, Kent Hughes faces a brutal dilemma. Does he sacrifice a piece of the future (a draft pick) just to erase Laine’s contract? Or does he keep a struggling player on the roster and risk wasting the cap space needed for a summer blockbuster move?
Cleaning up the salary cap has now become the number one priority. Whether it’s through salary retention or a «packaged» trade, Patrik Laine’s time in a Canadiens uniform seems to be ticking away, and it’s going to cost the organization to make it happen.