Nick Kypreos flags a Canadiens player suddenly available to both contenders and sellers
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Daniel Lucente
Feb 6, 2026 (4:10 PM)
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Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Patrik Laine trade talk is back, and it hits the Montreal Canadiens with real pressure and real possibility.
Nick Kypreos framed Laine as a “freebie with upside,” the kind of swing teams love when the price is mostly cap math.
Laine’s appeal is simple, he can still shoot the lights out when he’s right.
This season has barely started for him on the ice, just 5 games and a 0-1-1 line, with his availability still a daily storyline.
That’s exactly why the market splits into two lanes, contenders hunting juice, and non-playoff clubs hunting value.
"There is interest in Patrik Laine; He would be a freebie with upside, whether for a playoff team hoping to find a cheap-to-acquire scorer, or for a non-playoff team like Calgary to get a free look at him before considering him long-term."
- Nick Kypreos
- Nick Kypreos
For a playoff team, Laine is a man advantage shortcut.
Plug him onto a second unit, feed the one-timer, and you might steal a round with two power-play goals at the right time.
The catch is his $8.7 million cap hit, and the need for Montreal to retain salary to make it feel like a true “freebie.”
Patrik Laine could tilt Montreal Canadiens decisions fast
Habs fans feel it too, equal parts hope and dread, because this is the type of move that screams “deadline drama” even when you want calm.
For a contender, the bet is short, keep the minutes controlled, protect him at five-on-five, and let the shot do the talking.
For a non-playoff team like the Calgary Flames, it’s a low-cost audition.
You take the free look, see if the swagger returns, then decide if he’s a flip piece or a longer fit.
If Montreal retains, the acquiring team can send minimal assets and still justify the gamble.
Trades reopen Feb. 22, so this one could linger, then explode fast once phones start ringing again.
Either way, Laine’s next stretch will feel like a tryout, not just a comeback.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 6|129 ANSWERS Nick Kypreos flags a Canadiens player suddenly available to both contenders and sellers Should teams look to trade for Patrik Laine? | ||
| Yes | 46 | 35.7 % |
| No | 83 | 64.3 % |
| List of polls | ||