Canucks Should Consider Signing Former 44-Goal Sniper in Bold Move

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Canucks Should Consider Signing Former 44-Goal Sniper in Bold Move

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 21: Patrik Laine #92 of the Montreal Canadiens skates with the puck against the Washington Capitals during the first period in Game One of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Getty

Michael DeRosa · HEAVY

Mon, Oct 12, 2026 ·

4 min read

Laine Is One of the Best Free Agents Left & Could Help the Canucks Out in the Short Term

GettyDALLAS, TEXAS – JANUARY 16: Patrik Laine #92 of the Montreal Canadiens shoots during the second period against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on January 16, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

In a recent article for Bleacher Report , Lyle Richardson ranked Laine as the second best unrestricted free agent left. It makes sense, as the 2016 second-overall pick has a very good resume and has been a star in the past.

"Injuries and inconsistency plagued Patrik Laine in recent years, derailing his career as a high-scoring winger. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old Finn could be a good addition for teams that need a scoring boost, especially on the power play," Richardson wrote.

With Laine still being available, the Canucks should consider bringing him in. He could slot well in their top nine and would give them another high-impact forward to work with during the man advantage.

While Laine only had an assist in five games last season for the Montreal Canadiens, he would be an interesting bounce-back candidate for the Canucks to add. He has scored at least 20 goals in seven NHL seasons and has hit the 30-goal mark three times. This included him scoring 44 goals with the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18.

Laine also had 52 points in 55 games in 2022-23 and 56 points in 56 games for the Blue Jackets in 2021-22. These seasons were not very long ago, so it is fair to wonder if he could heat back up on a team like Vancouver.

Laine Could Be Good Trade Chip for Canucks If He Bounced Back

GettyMONTREAL, CANADA – DECEMBER 09: Patrik Laine #92 of the Montreal Canadiens takes a shot during the second period against the Anaheim Ducks at the Bell Centre on December 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

If Laine stayed healthy and put up good numbers for the Canucks, he could become a good trade chip for them at the deadline. Thus, he is exactly the kind of veteran sniper who Vancouver should consider giving an opportunity.

It will be interesting to see if the Canucks make a push for Laine from here. With Vancouver rebuilding, there would be no harm in them taking a chance on a former star who has plenty to prove, like Laine.

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