The Patrik Laine-to-Toronto Maple Leafs trade-deadline talk became a point of discussion in Elliotte Friedman’s latest 32 Thoughts column. More specifically, it was noted that the Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers both spoke with the Montreal Canadiens about Laine, even though nothing clearly came of those talks.
But how serious were the conversations? Was anything even remotely close or was this a situation where Laine’s name was mentioned in passing, but that’s about it?
Did These Laine Talks Go Very Far?
Friedman wrote, “There were discussions about Patrik Laine ending up either in Philadelphia or Toronto, but it obviously didn’t work out.” Beyond that two teams were kicking tires on the idea, that doesn’t tell us much.
Here’s what can be deduced from the report and rumors leading up to the deadline:
- The Canadiens were actively trying to move off of Laine’s contract. Montreal was exploring ways to “move money” so they could take a bigger swing at the trade deadline.
- Laine had been a rumored trade candidate for weeks (including speculation about 50% retention to make him more palatable).
- The two teams Montreal talked to at the deadline were the Philadelphia Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there may have been others over the course of the season.
- The Canadiens did show interest in Matthew Knies, but it has recently been learned that they weren’t the team pushing hardest on that trade.
- The Maple Leafs were looking at some big changes. To what extent still isn’t entirely clear.
- Nothing materialized—no deal was close enough to happen, and Laine stayed with the Canadiens past the deadline.
What We Don’t Know About the Laine Talks: The Why
Why the Maple Leafs were looking at Laine is still a bit of a mystery. He doesn’t really fit any of the nearly never-ending theories that analysts had conjured up during the deadline.
Related: Canadiens Facing Key Decision Between Xhekaj and Struble This Summer
Upon learning that there were talks but nothing materialized, some Leafs fans were relieved. Given that the Leafs were essentially out of the race, Laine hasn’t played much in Montreal this season, and he’s an expensive, fairly one-dimensional player, the resistance to the idea shouldn’t have been surprising.
The biggest challenge the Canadiens would have faced in moving Laine is his hefty $8.7 million cap hit, which runs through the end of the season. Even if 50% were retained, that’s a $4.35 million hit for Toronto, not a move that makes much sense on paper.
Considering he’s a pending UFA, the team wouldn’t have gotten much value out of him in a push that would likely ended in no postseason run, and with the Canadiens unlikely to take back a bad contract, there was little upside. Laine, 27, was once a feared scorer—who previously lit up the league with 40-plus goal campaigns. He’s no longer that player. His 2025–26 season has been especially rough, managing just one assist, no goals, and a minus-3 rating through five games.
The Laine Talk Was Likely Not Anything Serious
In general, the Toronto deadline trade talks with Montreal seem to have been exploratory rather than anything worth taking too seriously. The pieces don’t really fit for this to have been anything more than a quick, ‘what-if’ chat that went nowhere.
At best, this was likely more about another trade that would have seen Laine worked into the logistics of making that deal work.
If there was legitimate smoke, this would have been a bigger story. Laine to Toronto is not small news. That is was mentioned in passing in a column several days after the deadline suggests Friedman caught wind of something minor and made a brief mention of it.
