In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we start with Patrik Laine and his potential return after the Olympics, and what team he may be on when that time comes. Next, we head to the Winnipeg Jets, where Jonathan Toews is going to have to make a decision about whether he wants to stick with the club or go to a contender. Finally, we look at the Edmonton Oilers’ search for a bottom-six forward, who is willing to accept that role.
Laine Trade Coming After Olympics
When the Montreal Canadiens brought in Patrik Laine, he was supposed to come in and provide them some much-needed scoring help. His regular-season debut came later than anticipated, but when he did join the team, he was scoring tons for them.
Now, the Canadiens are without him for the start of the season again, and nearly to the end of February, but he is expected to be healthy after the Olympic break.
The Canadiens have done just fine without him. They are second in the Atlantic Division, scoring plenty of goals, and may not have room to bring in his $8.7 million cap hit.
Eric Engles spoke with Kent Hughes on Feb. 5 and speculated that the Canadiens may need to attach an asset, as well as retain some significant salary on Laine, if they want to move him. Hughes didn’t comment on Laine specifically, but did note that it was clear the team had too many players, especially with some getting healthy, like Laine.
Marco D’Amico named the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, and Seattle Kraken as potential destinations.
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For the Flames, if they were to look to bring Laine in, it would likely be for more than this season. With Jonathan Huberdeau out for the rest of this season, there is a lot of salary space opened up that they could use, and if the fit is right, they could look at an extension. The Flames are a team who need some more goals to be scored.
D’Amico notes that two of Laine’s best friends, fellow Finnish player Sebastian Aho, and former Jets teammate Nikolaj Ehlers, are both with the Hurricanes. While things are going pretty well for Carolina, they are always looking to add some scoring. They were reportedly in on Artemi Panarin, and Laine would make a lot of sense for the right price.
The Kings are reportedly looking to do some more big trades, but centre seems to be their priority. Laine would add more scoring on the wings, which could certainly be looked at as a need still, though they are less likely to be in the race here.
Finally, the Kraken, who were ready to take a massive swing for Panarin, including financially with an extension, but fell short. Laine could help them, and they have the room and desire for a player like him.
Will Jonathan Toews Get Traded to a Contender?
In Elliotte Friedman’s latest written 32 Thoughts, he made a comment on whether Toews are going to extend for another year, and that got a lot of people wondering what is next for the centre.
On one hand, the Jets are going to be able to make the money work. There is no issue with them giving him a one-year deal, and at 38 years old, he may look to stay in one spot, which happens to be his hometown team.
On the other hand, things aren’t going too well in Winnipeg right now. Toews wasn’t the fit many hoped he would be. He did have good stretches, and there is certainly some leeway given with his lengthy absence from the game.
Also, were the expectations of him coming in and being a true second-line centre fair? Probably not. He has done well lower in the lineup, but there are a lot of players competing for bottom-six spots.
Toews has his three Stanley Cups, but what is wrong with a fourth? The Jets are out of the mix for 2025-26 and aren’t giving a ton of hope for next season, either, but we did see how fast the turnaround can be, considering they won the Presidents’ Trophy last season.
Toews’ career is winding down, and this won’t be an easy decision to make, but it will be an important one.
Oilers’ Search for Bottom-Six Players
With all of the hockey players in Milan, many people may marvel at the juggernauts built by the likes of Team Canada and Team USA and wonder, how can my favorite hockey team look like that one day?
Well, it can’t, but some teams have the mindset of bringing in the best available players, and finding room for them. The Oilers have been guilty of doing that at times, and it hasn’t worked out well. They are looking to fill holes with players who have to be within their budget, but with the offensive dynamics on the team, there isn’t room for many more players who depend on opportunity to show their value.
Andrew Mangiapane, for example, is likely headed out of Edmonton soon. Friedman wrote, “the Oilers need to move Andrew Mangiapane. It’s clear he’s not a fit for Kris Knoblauch, and there’s no point in pretending otherwise”.
That is pretty blunt, but true. Mangiapane likely had the mindset of Edmonton being a good place for him to get back in his scoring ways, but he has been delegated a fourth-line role or even serving as a healthy scratch. It isn’t going to work between him and the team, and he is likely going to be on the move soon after the trade freeze lifts.
